You'll fall for 'The Underpants' at ONSTAGE in Bedford

BEDFORD -- A pair of dropped drawers sets off an astonishing chain of events in The Underpants, the current production at ONSTAGE in Bedford.

This comedy is a sort of new old play. It is an adaption by comedian Steve Martin, an accomplished playwright who has written other adaptations and original works for the stage, of Die Hose, a 1910 work by German dramatist Carl Sternheim.

All the play's action pivots on a brief event on a Dusseldorf street. Louise (Jill Ethridge), a young woman in a crowd waiting on a sidewalk to see the king pass, stands on her tiptoes for a better view. But as she does, some bystanders get a better view of Louise when, much to her surprise, her bloomers hit the ground. Although she is wearing a long dress and picks up the wandering undies quickly, the results turn out to be devastating.

Versati and Cohen, who were close to the accidental skivvies plunge, develop an immediate obsession with Louise that leads them to rent a room in the home she shares with her boorish bureaucrat of a husband, Theo (Alex Krus). Versati (Michael Speck) is a proudly unpublished poet who thinks he has found his muse in Louise. Cohen (Rick Powers) is a sickly barber who is driven to fling himself at Louise more out of jealousy than love. Fortified by the salacious encouragement of a nosy neighbor, Gertrude (Sherry Etzel), Louise determines to have an affair with Versati -- an easy decision since we learn that Theo has been using the boudoir only for sleeping since the couple's honeymoon.

But nothing is really easy in the complex little world of this play. And its complications are often hilarious.

This is the sort of show that might be considered a bit too odd and quirky for most community theatres. It is rich in its rewards, but its laughs are sly and nuanced. Its humor usually sneaks up on you rather than hitting you directly in the funny bone. But this production has a good grip on the material and pulls it off well.

Speck and Powers are especially good. The former lays it on thick as an artist more in love with himself than the public could ever be. His approach seems a bit much initially, but his consistency ultimately wins you over.

Powers also delivers a well-controlled character. And he even adds some great physical comedy to the mix.

Ethridge's overall performance could use a little polish around the edges, but she brings the right mix of innocence and mischief to her role and does a nice job of keeping Louise on an even keel as the chaos around her mounts.

Etzel displays exceptional comic timing as the meddlesome neighbor.

Krus has the toughest role, the loutish Theo. He delivers the right levels of pomp and bluster, but he doesn't always seem to get the tricky rhythms of the character exactly right.

Lisa Cotie's direction shows insight and verve. In some scenes, for example, the characters purposely lapse into something resembling silent-movie-style acting. That should be jolting but works beautifully. The flaws are some places where players could be moved more creatively and a dead spot in the second act (but that may be more the fault of the script than Cotie).

Also of note are Carol Anderson's costume designs. The outfits convey the period nicely without resorting to extremes -- except in the case of Versati, whose clownish togs are ideal.

Despite being something of a precursor to the sex farces of the mid-20th century, this is not the type of fluffy comedy that is more typically found on amateur stages. So this may not appeal to as broad an audience as you might expect, given the popularity of its adaptor.

If, however, you are up for a good production of something that is just a bit different, this is your show. And if you go, be sure your undergarments are secure. You may laugh them off.