A heart-warming hilarity

Actors Tony Munch, Neil Foster, and Nathan Howe get down to business

Becky’s New Car drives onto the stage

Article: Destiny Kaus – A&C Writer

[dropcaps round=”no”]W[/dropcaps]ell, the Globe Theatre is at it again! From Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, the Globe presents Becky’s New Car. Directed by Valerie Ann Pearson, this play is filled with exactly what people want: comedy, heart, and interaction.

The play focuses around Walter Flood (played by Allan Morgan), a widowed millionaire who meets an utterly attractive woman named Becky Foster (played by Tracey Ferencz).

Walter stumbles upon Becky by complete chance and begins to pursue her, thinking that she is widowed like him. But wow is he ever wrong. Dang. He mistakes her for a widow, while she’s actually already married. Oh the drama! And oh the hilarity that ensues.

Allan Morgan, who has been acting professionally for 30 years, delights in this comedic play. He says, “It makes [the audience] laugh a lot! It’s a very funny play.”

But, the play isn’t just a bunch of giggles, laughs, and smiles. According to Morgan, “There are some very touching elements to it.”

I mean, let me be real. How can a play with two lovers not have touching moments, even if it is freaking hilarious? In my opinion, hilarity + heart-warming = awesome.

As for the character of Walter Flood, he seems to me to have a perfect balance between a rather quirky dude and a caring, genuine individual.

Morgan describes his character Walter as a loopy, widowed millionaire who has inherited his fortune from his father and now owns a billboard business that brings in a wack load of money. How on earth a billboard business can make millions, I have no idea, but, atta boy, Walter, for making it happen.

Despite his fortune, which also includes a helicopter, a house by the sea, and really nice clothes (no big deal), Walter is not a detailed man and, as Morgan says, “He is incapable of picking gifts for people.”

This little fact makes me chuckle. Who struggles with picking out gifts? Walter. What a guy. Sadly though, his lack of skill in this department is because he always used to rely on his wife to pick out gifts and she has since passed away. My heart sincerely goes out to this character. And, I think the audience members’ hearts will too even amidst all the comedy.

“He’s got a great big heart,” Morgan says, “and he understands where he is in his life and he understands what’s missing in his life.”

Just as the audience is bound to interact emotionally with Becky’s New Car, they will have the opportunity to interact on a much deeper level. No, the characters will not pull up members of the audience onto the stage and expect them to act. Literally, one of my worst nightmares.

Instead, Morgan says that “the lead actress who plays Becky, Tracy Ferencz…her character has a rapport with the audience. In fact, she talks to the audience all the time as if they’re there.”

I think this rocks because this level of interaction enhances the live theatre experience.

Overall, Morgan sums up the play in one of Walter Flood’s lines: “My life has become the story of a group of people I’ve met by chance and the things we give together.”

So, here’s to chance, romance, and laughing off your pants.

[button style=”e.g. solid, border” size=”e.g. small, medium, big” link=”” target=””]Image: Robyn Tocker[/button]