[Photo by Craig Schwartz]
Hate always seems in fashion.
The play is a tender, bittersweet musical based on the 1994 film starring Albert Finney. Set in 1960s Dublin, bus conductor Alfie Byrne harbors a deep love for Oscar Wilde—and an (obvious) secret about himself. As Alfie attempts to stage the scandalous “Salome” at his conservative Catholic church, he collides with small-town judgment, his own personal longing, and the cost of authenticity.
In the 1905 “Salome,” a young Judean princess dances for her stepfather Herod and chooses as her reward, the head of the prophet John the Baptist, who she attempts to seduce with the “Dance of the Sven Veils.” Naturally, the parish is not amused.
With music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the show explores themes of art, identity, and quiet bravery. What emerges is a portrait of a man wrestling with self-acceptance in a world that fears difference, and the quiet dignity of living with heart and conviction.
Since A Noise Within stages classic theatrical works, and not new or independent works, we are left to judge the performance and production, and not necessarily the plays themselves. The plays have long been proven. The key is to make them fresh and relevant.
A Noise Within generally manages to achieve that aim, and this production is no exception.
Cast-wise, Kasey Mahaffy is a pinpoint Alfie, both troubled and ambitious, in all of his avocations, it seems. Juliana Sloan is his
supportive and long-suffering sister, along with Neill Fleming as Father Kenny, friendly but only up to a point, and CJ Eldred shines as his bestie bus driver pal, Robbie.
Bryce Brock, LeShay Tomlinson Boyce, Emily Koslowski, Howard Leder, Amber Liehkus, Ed F. Martin, and David Nevell, make up the eager St. Imelda’s Players.
A live, five-piece ensemble helps add a musical acuity to the affair., and all of the performers sing like adults who grew up in their own Catholic choirs, even if they didn’t.
Meanwhile, as the company moves closer to their debut, Alfie faces his own demons, as he moves along the darker edge of Dublin’s pub life.
This is where everything gets complicated, naturally, and the inevitable clashes and secrets break out. Let’s leave you there.
Once again, A Noise Within, has produced a faithful and earnest staging of McNally’s work with clever stage design and lighting, spot-on wardrobes and a strong pack of voices that lift every tune into the last rows.
Perhaps it’s a story we’ve seen in one form or another, but the constant storm against those different from others sadly remains a timeless theme.
And a well-written play, performed well, is its own reward.
“A Man of No Importance” runs through . The theater is at Jun 1, 20253352 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA. (626) 356-3100. www.anoisewithin.org
