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Sabrina Fair
June 11 - 26, 2010
Written by Samuel A. Taylor
Directed by Karen Kruger
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| | Sabrina Fairchild was the daughter of a chauffer to the wealthy Larrabee family. Returning from a stay in Paris working as a private secretary to a diplomat, she now presents herself as a young woman of beauty, charm, incredible sophistication and a zest for living - a world apart from the domestic's daughter that the family had largely ignored. Although she once had a crush on David Larrabee, the young playboy of the family, she now finds herself drawn to his brother Linus, whose intelligence and knowledge of the world stimulates her. LCP invites you to help us celebrate 50 years of entertaining the Lake Country with this charming romantic comedy!
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| Cast -
Maude Larabee ............... Sharon Jahneke
Julia Ward McKinlock ...... Paula Garcia
Linus Larabee Jr. ............ Ralph Garcia
Linus Larabee Sr. ............ Bob Hurd
Margaret ......................... Barb Christensen
David Larabee ................. Jeff Porter
Gretchen ......................... Breanne Brennan
Sabrina Fairchild ............. Laura Bambrick
Fairchild .......................... Don Callan
Paul D'Argenson .............. Eric Schaffer
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| | LCP’s “Sabrina Fair” shares insight on classic story
By Julie McHale - TimeOut and Waukesha Freeman Theater Critic
June 13, 2010
“Sabrina Fair,” the present offering at Lake Country Players, is definitely a love story, but it also addresses the issues of societal classes, moral values, and the prospects of achieving happiness in our short-lived human existence. Though written more than a half century ago, the dialogue still resounds as current and clever.
Director Karen Kruger has garnered a very talented cast and paced the show so skillfully that one is surprised to discover that the running time is almost three hours. It never lags, holding our interest throughout.
Linus and Maude Larrabee, a very wealthy couple living on Long Island, have two sons, Linus, Jr. and David. Fairchild, their chauffeur, and his daughter Sabrina have also lived on the premises for many years. She has attended college and worked in Paris for five years and is returning for a visit. A shy, unobtrusive young woman when she left the Larrabees has been transformed into a successful, confident, sophisticated lady, and the changes in her serve as a catalyst for everything that follows in the story.
While living in Paris, she met Paul D'Argenson, a French entrepreneur, who fell in love with Sabrina and offered to marry her and give her a dream life. Erik Schaffer effectively conveys his savoir faire. However, despite his obvious appeal, something has aroused doubts in Sabrina and impelled her to return home.
A college roommate of Maude’s, now a prominent magazine editor, is recovering from surgery at the Larrabee estate. Julia’s observations on the Larrabee scene are often incisive and witty. She definitely contributes to the heady mix with her experience and sage commentary. Paula Garcia portrays this proto-feminist woman of the world beautifully. She broke the mold and she knows it.
Linus Larrabee, Sr., now retired, has taken up the attendance at and evaluation of funerals as his new hobby. His headstrong personality and persnickety mannerisms render him quite an interesting figure. Bob Hurd is perfect in the role. His wife Maude, so convincingly played by Sharon Jahneke, is really the pivotal character in the story. Even though she is deeply enmeshed in the societal role in which life has cast her, there is a very decent human being buried beneath all the glitz and proprieties and expectations that high society has required of her. We end up liking her a lot.
The two Larrabee sons are a study in contrast. We’re more drawn to Linus, despite his driving ambition, cockiness, contentiousness, and even his slipperiness. Ralph Garcia captures the complexity and ambiguity of this character beautifully. As Linus, he seems to question his direction and his personal decisions more than David does. David, played by Jeff Porter, has never really cut ties with his mother and seems to be resting easily on his advantageous inheritance rather than relishing his own accomplishments. David pales beside Linus.
Fairchild, the faithful, shrewd chauffeur, is a fascinating character, who accepts his “place” in society and knows how to take advantage of what life has given him in order to fashion a very satisfying life for himself. Don Callan is fabulous as the cooperative, unassuming servant who is leading a double life. His daughter Sabrina has grown beyond her class but is still torn between the two worlds she has experienced. Laura Bambrick as Sabrina brings many strengths to the role but does not always sustain her electricity. Her face is not as reactive as it could be, which dilutes her power a bit.
What a joy to encounter this old story again. Twice a film, the original script is sometimes fun to experience. I’d strongly recommend you take a peek at what awaits you at Lake Country Playhouse in Hartland. “Sabrina Fair” runs through June 26. It’s easy to reach this intimate theater from any town in Waukesha County, five minutes off Hwy. 16. |
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