By Paul Elledge
for The Beacon
The final production of the Players Workshop season is ready to be "eaten up" by the audience! "The Kitchen Witches" by Caroline Smith is a comedy that pits two hosts of live and online cooking shows against each other. No punches are pulled as the two women, Dolly and Isobel, go head to head about everything from recipes to love lives to dressing rooms. And when they are put together on the same show? Watch out, as the "witches" fully appear!
Directors Ron Teater and Mary Krohlow really let the actresses embody their inner witch as they stand nose to nose yelling over each other and make hilarious snide remarks under their breath. The set is what you would expect from a cable-access studio and fits well without being distracting. Costuming is great and really adds to the characters.
The aforementioned actresses are Christa Parry as Dolly Biddle and Jayne Gobble as Isobel Lomax. These two both bring comedy to these characters - even though they spend a good amount of time yelling at each other. It would have been really easy to make the anger over the top and bury the comedy, but Parry and Gobble manage it like pros. Parry in particular shines as she has an alter ego to start the show, but I won't spoil it.
Scott Teater plays Stephen Biddle the producer of Dolly's show who also happens to be her son. Caught between the warring women, Stephen downs antacids like candy and freaks out just enough to add to the comedy while also keeping the live show on track. Rob, the props and camera guy played by Brayden Bowers, reminds you of the old silent movies: he doesn't say much, but his presence and movement always have to be watched because they add to the comedic theme.
One extra bit is that the show is played as though it were local. The Kitchen Witches online show is filmed in front of a live audience at the "Burlington Community Center" and references to local towns like Mediapolis and Biggsville are pretty common. It's a nice touch along with the performers interacting with audience members. So, if you enjoy laughing and feeling like you are part of the show, come see "The Kitchen Witches" April 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30 at 7:30 pm or April 24 and May 1 at 2:00 pm.
As always, more information can be found at the Players Workshop Facebook page or at www.playersworkshoptheater.com.