Critical Analysis of "How To Treat a Lady"

James Horton

Theatre

2-06-06

Critical Analysis of "No Way to Treat a Lady"

This tragic comedy rendition of an early novel of William Goldman was written very well by Playwright Douglas J. Cohen. While keeping the main points of this novel intact, Cohen manages to make it very funny but yet still sensationally suspenseful. Cohen added some witty lyrics and song to this already well written play to add to this COP v. SERIAL KILLER Plot.

With stage direction by John Manfredi, Meadow Brook's managing director; musical direction by John Dale Smith; and an ingenious and well thought out set by Peter Hicks. You'd think that you were on Broadway yourself as you live through each act of this play.

While there are only four actors in this play, one of them, Kate Willinger "Manfredi", plays five separate roles. Kate remarkably reflects each role to the tee. Portraying the reality of each character as if she had been living each role, Kate was masterful.

The Princess Bride writer William Goldman His Q&A ...

gill

gill

These roles include Flora, Detective Brummel's Jewish mother; Mrs. Sullivan, an Irish widow; Alexandra, the mother of the serial killer; Carmella, a South American ballroom dancer; and Sadie, a boozy singles-bar-hopping drunk. Willinger is amazing in all of these widely diverse roles, but especially so when delivering the guilt-inducing lines of Flora Brummel, mother of Detective Morris "Mo" Brummel. Which she constantly implies that "Mo is no good and could have been better then a Detective like his brother, "the DOCTOR", who you never met but hear a lot about.

Alan Ball plays the unsuccessful Jewish middle-aged New York City detective Morris Brummel. Ball plays out this role very intelligently and respectfully. He has three missions. While he chases after the serial killer from murder to murder he gets closer to him with every mistake...