Talley's Folley

An interesting script, natural direction, and experienced actors carried the recent production of "Talley's Folly". The Playmakers organization produced the romantic comedy February 13 through 18, 2002.

Starring Joe Sturgeon, drama teacher, and Ginny Lee, senior, "Talley's Folly" offered laughs, complications, misunderstandings, fears and secrets in only 97 minutes.

"Folly" also offered limited seating, high temperatures, and sometimes frustrating dialogue. Langford Wilson's script told the story of a 40-something Jewish accountant, Matt Friedman, from St. Louis and the 31 year old nurses maid, Sally Talley, from the small town of Lebanon, Mo. The story, as Sturgeon's character Matt states, "is more of a waltz."

The play covers one evening, July 4, 1944, in Lebanon, Mo. More specifically, it takes place in the Talley's folly, or boathouse. Matt begins the story with an introduction, the story he tells though, does not match Sally's view of the relationship.

Having met the previous year, Matt returns to the small town to propose to the woman who has been on his mind ever since. However, this is a more difficult task than it seems.

The waltz begins quickly, with references to a confrontation at Sally's home between Matt and her family. Sturgeon then slows the dance down, and confronts Sally about her lifestyle, fear of commitment, and liberal political views.

Humor is found throughout the play. Although most is verbal between the two, one scene in the middle of the play contains Matt donning ice skates in the middle of summer, and proceeds to offer physical shtick.

Sturgeon offers a genuinely loveable and slightly abrasive performance as Matt. He bonds with the audience immediately, and while his character's tactics are sometimes clumsy and rough the audience never stops cheering him on. His accent and mannerisms are handled very well, and his comic timing is almost perfect. The levels of his relationship with Sally are strongly conveyed and his difficult story offered delicately.

Looking natural in 1940's clothing, Lee exudes the innocence of the popular cheerleader Sally once was. But there are other dimensions to Sally--wariness, rebellion, disenchantment--that Lee skillfully allows to come to the surface, gradually revealing the depths of her character.

The dialogue