Picketwire Players Deliver the Laughs in The Underpants

Description: Sue Keefer Reviews the Picketwire Players Current Community Theatre Offering in La Junta...

All of us need a good laugh at least once in a while. I can assure you that attending Picketwire Players’ current play, “The Underpants,” will get you far more than one!

Under the capable direction of Picketwire veteran Ashley Kelley, a superbly talented cast will provide you with a night of hilarity, especially since the play was adapted by none other than the famous comedian Steve Martin.

Innuendos fly across the set and bounce off the flats, all due to the unfortunate incidence in which a pair of underpants reveal themselves during the King's parade.

The audience doesn’t see this panty predicament, but as the play opens, husband Theo (Demain Ryder) is severely chastising his wife, Louise (Heather Pidcock-Reed) for this horrendous breach of decency. He’s convinced that the act will surely affect his job as a clerk in the government.

Louise, however, pleads that she was quick to pull her naughty knickers back into place, and anyway, everyone was watching the parade, and would have had no reason to witness the, shall we say, slippage.

It soon becomes clear that Louise is wrong. At least two men apparently indeed had their eyes on those unmentionables, and both are extremely interested in renting the spare room the couple has been advertising.

First, we meet Frank (Tom Seaba), a poet who expounds passionately about his desires but seems more interested about writing down his ardor rather than acting on it. He is, however, able to talk his way into renting the room from Louise, who is intrigued by his enthusiasm.

But then Theo comes home, with Mr. Cohen (Angelica Leija) in tow, a rather meek, hypochondriac barber who is equally enchanted by the blooming bloomers, but seems a bit conflicted on how to act on his feelings.

Theo has already promised the room to this gent, so a compromise is reached, and the two will share the room, begrudgingly.

Nosy neighbor Gertrude (Molly Borton), having apparently heard all of the preceding chats, bustles in as soon as the men have left. She not only plants the seed of infidelity into Louise's already confused thoughts, but waters and fertilizes it, even offering to sew for her a pair of irresistible skivvies.

With the couple’s first anniversary approaching, Gertrude reminds Louise that she is just, in Theo’s words, “a little housewife,” who exists solely to satisfy his needs, which are seemingly restricted to a clean house and food cooked to his liking. There has been no chance of “the patter of little feet” since the honeymoon night. 

Hijinks and some fisticuffs ensue as the characters bumble through their lives, with Louise cooking weiners for Theo, Mr. Cohen (“with a K!”) experiencing jealousy and mysterious ailments, Frank disappearing after vowing to get Theo drunk so that he can rush back into Louise’s arms, Theo continually asserting his manliness, and Gertrude being confused about her part in the whole crazy mess.

For different reasons, both Frank and Mr. Cohen check out. But do not despair, because soon two other eager renters appear: Klinglehoff (Jennifer Hart), a scientist who presumably knows nothing about the scandalous situation and just wants a quiet room, and–to everyone’s surprise, the king (Katie Merewether), who may well have other things on his royal mind.

The clever reader/theater goer may notice that three of the men’s parts are indeed played by women, quite capably, adding to the farce. There may even be a recalcitrant moustache that could be vying for its own starring role.

Don't Miss This One! Performance dates for “The Underpants” are set for February 29th March 1st and 2nd at 7:30 PM. For up-to-date theater information visit Picketwireplayers.org or call 719-384-8320.

Related Content:

Picketwire Players Open Their Season with The Underpants

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