Community Corner
Theater Review: 'Laurel and Hardy' at the Falcon Theatre
Every nuance and gesture is perfectly measured and adds to the genuine and realistic characterizations of these comedic geniuses.
In the history of cinema there was no more successful or influential comedic duo than Laurel and Hardy.
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were loved around the world for their slapstick comedy and sketches on stage and film, but as the Falcon Theatre in Burbank shows in its West Coast premiere of Laurel and Hardy running through Oct. 2, it is the duo’s chemistry that made them unique and unforgettable.
From vaudeville through silent films and into talking films, Laurel and Hardy were unparalleled as a comedic team.
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No two people worked harder or sacrificed more.
From an early age, both knew that they wanted to be comedians in a world that did not understand or welcome them. And both, to their credit, succeeded on their own terms.
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Playwright Tom McGrath and Director Dimitri Toscas prove to be an able team even though the play plods along somewhat slowly through the first act, but picks-up the pace significantly in the second act.
Emphasis is put on bits and scenes from the duo’s vaudeville act and films. Inbetween, Kevin Blake (Laurel) and Paul C. Vogt (Hardy) play producers, directors and even a girlfriend, and engage each other in often charming and enlightening conversation.
The play could, however, benefit greatly from intimate and deeper insight into the private lives of both main characters.
The acting borders on brilliant. Every nuance and gesture is perfectly measured and adds to the genuine and realistic characterizations of these comedic geniuses.
Blake and Vogt do not have one false moment, and at times rise above the writing and directing.
Robert Petrarca (pianist) helps keep the pace steady.
Francois-Pierre Couture (set and lighting designer), Terri A. Lewis (costume designer) and Robert Arturo Ramirez (sound designer) add to the meaning and beauty of the play.
Laurel and Hardy attempts to capture a pair of timeless artists practicing their craft in an era only time can ultimately judge.
It almost succeeds, but its reach exceeds its grasp.
Editor's Note: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have a strong connection to the Toluca Lake and North Hollywood area. Hardy in particular, as he owned a home in Van Nuys, belonged to the Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake, died in North Hollywood and is also buried in North Hollywood. See these past stories to learn more -
