‘Servant’ master of new theater

By Jess Decina

With its willingness to go against conventional romantic comedy expectations, The Servant of Two Masters is by no means ordinary. While some may not fully appreciate it, Servant is out to prove to the Rider community that there’s nothing wrong with being a little unique.

Set in Venice, the story introduces the families of Pantalone and Lombardi. Lombardi’s son, Silvio, is set to marry Pantalone’s daughter Clarice. Their happy union is interrupted by Beatrice Rasponi, who is disguised as her brother in an attempt to collect money owed to him by the Pantalones. Beatrice arrives with her servant Truffaldino, played by senior Matt Cook.

The plot switches gears to Truffaldino, who decides to test his skill (and sanity) by acquiring a second master, Florindo Aretusi (senior Arnaldo Ortiz), and seeing how long he can serve two masters without the other knowing. Just when the plot couldn’t get more complicated, Truffaldino’s two masters come to Venice in search of each other. Plot threads are twisted and everything that could go wrong for Truffaldino inevitably does.

Granted, a story about mistaken identity and miscommunication seems like a formulaic disaster, especially paired with comedy that is inspired by worst-case scenario situations. But only in this rendition of Servant can you watch characters lament the loss of a stuffed animal named Charles, call “time-out” before beginning a duel and pause to answer their cell phones. Expect the unexpected.

Cook, a perfect fit for the role of Truffaldino, goes beyond expectation. The extravagant situations that his character gets wrapped into — most of which involve running back and forth between his two masters — are always funny. The hilarity never stops as Cook’s character gets tangled into one dilemma after another and leaves the audience begging to know how he will get himself out of messes that end up stickier than a chocolate bar left outside in the middle of July. Cook has a knack for improvising and performing sketch comedy; his talent as a comedic actor speaks volumes here.

Sophomore Joe Sabatino as Silvio also provides a stellar performance by giving his character a rather amusing trait: the emotional capacity of a 6-year-old. Sabatino struts around stage, pretending to be brave and daring, but shrinks in terror at the thought of confrontation and whines whenever his father reprimands him. His whimpering and moaning are hilarious to watch.

Although there are several standout performances, the key to Servant is teamwork. The ensemble works together for every scene to make the physical comedy flow. There is something to be said about cast members who are not afraid to crack silly jokes, tumble around on stage and parade around flamboyantly for a few laughs. Audacity, charisma and talent are in full force on stage and create a fantastic result.

Although a brand-new playground for these actors has been provided in the form of the new Spitz Theater, the set itself is not overly elaborate. It comprises several painted backdrops that create a simple but very effective way to re-imagine the streets of Italy. Props are basic and characters are often seen miming actions and leaving it largely up to the audience’s imagination.

In Servant, the invisible fourth wall that separates the audience and actors is not just broken; it’s obliterated. This convention is not always enjoyable. From the start of the play, characters meander throughout the audience, offering food or entertainment to its members. While this interaction does have its advantages later in the show, it makes the first 10 or 15 minutes of the play extremely frustrating to watch. It is difficult to keep your eyes trained on the stage when you often find them wandering to the sides, where numerous ensemble members have gathered.

This type of comedy, the Commedia dell’arte, requires an entirely different acting style, which is difficult to perfect. There are times when the actors are not quite masters of the art. Sharp dialogue is often spoken in a quick and urgent manner and characters have to exchange one-liners flawlessly in order to make the jokes work. When an actor even slightly stumbles over a line or misses a beat, the joke is noticeably missed.

The Servant of Two Masters makes history as the first Commedia dell’arte performed at Rider, as well as being the debut play in the new black box theater. With its quick wit and constant surprises, it has all the necessary elements of this art form.