Review: This 'Mister Roberts' delivers goods

BY BOB FISCHBACH
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

An inconsequential bit of metal. A tongue-in-cheek award concocted on the spur of the moment.

J. Todd Reagan, left, is the captain and Pat Schwery is Mister Roberts, the part played by Henry Fonda in the film version, in the Bellevue Little Theatre production. "Mister Roberts" earned a best-play Tony in 1948.

But because Josh Logan and Thomas Heggen knew how to write a script, and because director Don Nguyen knows how to turn a large cast into a true ensemble, that bit of metal becomes much more in the Bellevue Little Theatre's production of "Mister Roberts."

And in the moment of its presentation, the sum becomes more than the parts. When you feel the electricity of emotion in the air, from stage to audience and back again, that's when you know a play is working.

"Mister Roberts," the 1948 best-play Tony winner that also earned Jack Lemmon a 1956 Oscar, works at the Bellevue Little Theatre. Set a tyrannical, small-minded World War II Navy skipper against a bored, stir-crazy crew. Put an everyman officer who cares more about the men than himself between them. Then step back.

A potent combination of comedic timing, excellent character acting and attention to detail in staging take this well-worn show farther than its 57-year-old sea legs might be expected to carry it.

You don't have to wait for that climactic award scene to see why. Early in the first act, five sailors on deck-scrubbing duty discover that nurses are newly arrived at the hospital on shore - and their bathroom window has no curtains.

Group movement, priceless facial expressions and well-timed line readings earned big laughs at Thursday's preview, though the concept of men drooling over half-clothed women is hardly new. The scene worked, thanks to direction combined with meticulous rehearsal.

The show is not flawless. Acting talents are wide-ranging, from stiff to inspired to overboard, in the 15-man, one-woman cast. Line fluffs and slow cues made typical opening-weekend appearances, but overall pacing was good.

Patrick Schwery, in the title role originated by Henry Fonda, and Dan Goos, in the Jack Lemmon role of Ensign Pulver, give solid performances that get stronger as the night rolls on.

J. Todd Reagan, as the captain, is just about perfect as the man you love to hate, and Jim Watson shines as the wise ship's doctor. Carrie Beth Stickrod does a nice turn as a nurse who visits the ship.

Among the shipmates, standout character work comes from Dan Chevalier as Insigna, Tyler Swain as Lindstrom and John Carlson as Stefanowski.

Jeff Lively's sound design, including effects, ship announcements, microphone work and carefully selected 1940s music, adds to the fun.

The night belongs to Nguyen, who has taken this talent pool about as far as it can go in delivering both laughs and a lump in the throat.