Little Theatre’s ‘Is He Dead?’ forces its laughs too early

Mark Twain, despite his many gifts, apparently was never much of a playwright. But David Ives sure is, and he's managed to take a long-neglected 1898 manuscript and transform it into enjoyable farce.

No complicated plot here. A respected 1840s Parisian painter -- the real Jean-Francois Miller in a fictional tale -- lives in poverty until he and his band of friends concoct a scheme to announce his death. They do, and the value of a Miller quickly goes through the roof. Of course, this means the artist must go into hiding. He stays in his tiny bedroom and paints "money." When he comes out, he's dressed as his sister. You can imagine the complications that ensue, but lucky for us, all turns out well.

The story undoubtedly has the feel of a place we've all been many times before. But Ives knows how to keep the laughs coming. And director Joe Hammond guides his 11-member cast into a blissful realm of ridiculousness. The production soars once Tony Blosser, in his huge, period dress, takes over the stage. Blosser has never seemed so free and effortless on a Vegas stage. His frantic efforts to not be discovered allow the actor to exhibit dead-on comic instincts.

Joel Wayman does a spirited turn as the nasty villain Bastien, complete with black coat, top hat and twirling moustache. Amazingly, he keeps the character fresh.

And Dave Pomeroy, in several zany roles, takes over the stage in every scene he's in. Pomeroy is amusingly authoritative, whether playing a confused attendant or the King of France.

There's a major problem in that Hammond begins the farce on way too high a pitch. He tries to force the laughs too early. By the time we get late into the second act, the production's exaggeration level is just where it needs to be. But Hammond doesn't get there naturally. If the story line were allowed to progress on its own, it would, I think, earn its climax and a slew more belly laughs.

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.