"Travels With My Aunt' at Walnut's Studio 3

Graham Greene's 1969 novel, Travels With My Aunt was a mischievous, sophisticated comic tale of adventure and intrigue, filled with sly wit and satire. Greene's amoral and adventurous protagonist, Aunt Augusta, seeks to transform her colorless retired bank clerk of a nephew into a suitable sophisticated travel companion. Never having left England, the drab Henry wants only to stay home and tend his precious dahlias— the objects of his affection. But by the force of her personality, Augusta gradually remakes Henry into someone as colorful and dashing as herself.

Greene's novel was subsequently bowdlerized and vulgarized by George Cukor's 1972 film starring Maggie Smith. A later stage adaptation by the Scottish actor and director Giles Havergal remained faithful to Greene's 1969 novel, and when I saw it in 1995— at the Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village— it was such a blissful experience that I've never forgotten it. The expert actors Brian Murray and Jim Dale headed that four-member cast— a hard act to follow.

So I was primed for disappointment the other day when I went to see Travels upstairs at the Walnut Street Theatre. But from the moment I set my eyes on the clever set— simply decorated with several café tables, bentwood chairs and a profusion of dahlias— I knew I was in for a treat. The male actors, dressed in identical boring brown suits, enter, sit down, pick up their newspapers, and the fun begins.

The scene changes are cleverly indicated by framed video projections of various locales: London, Paris, the Orient Express, Istanbul, Argentina and Paraguay. Clever sound effects and subtle lighting enhance the illusion that you are traveling along with Aunt Augusta and her recalcitrant nephew, Henry Pulling, by taxi, car, train, plane and ship.

Schirner's inflections

The real marvel, however, is the cast— a perfectly synchronized quartet. Each plays about 22 roles with pitch-perfect precision. It's not a skirt that makes Aunt Augusta the amoral and adventurous adventurer, but Buck Schirner's inflection and a gesture. (Schirner is also adept in the role of Henry.)

David Bardeen's accent is just right as Wordsworth, the lovesick black South African who loses his "Baby Girl" to Mr. Visconti. There's poetry in the portrayal as well as the name.

Paul Riopelle is a marvelous female impersonator, shining as both the talkative Tooley and the shy Yolanda.

Having played the BBC audiocassette hundreds of times, I found myself wondering: How could I have missed the absolutely hilarious car ride scene when a Wolfhound named Wolf overcomes Senor Isquierda, aka Mr. Visconti? I don't remember that episode from 15 years ago, but I'll never forget Dan Hodge's outrageously hilarious portrayal of the slobbering and lascivious dog— one of this production's high points. He also makes love to the wicker chairs— stand-ins for sexy women.

Dinner jackets and potted palms

The second act takes us to South America. Here the four actors, who've traded banker's brown for glamorous white dinner jackets, glide smoothly between the wicker chairs and potted palms. The videos show us brightly lit gardens, while the dancers perform the Tango with stylized abandon.

The plot twists and turns along with the music: There are spies, CIA agents, blackmailers, war criminals and, above all, lovers. For Graham Greene aficionados like me, the locale is Greeneland, but without the gloom and despair that usually characterize Greene's work.

Bravo to John Peakes, who directs the play with the brilliance of an orchestra conductor. I've already bought a ticket to see Travels again one last time before it closes April 18th. I know it will be a long time before I have the pleasure of seeing it anytime soon.♦


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