by Miryam Gordon - SGN A&E Writer

AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO
ACT THEATRE
THROUGH MAY 20

How many people these days don't even know who Groucho Marx was? Or have never seen a Marx Brothers movie? You don't have to know anything about the man to enjoy the touring performance of Frank Ferrante as Groucho Marx, but it sure helps.

Ferrante turns into a fantastic Groucho impersonator with the application of thick black shoe polish on his upper lip and over his eyebrows. And then he uses signature choreographic moves and rolls his eyes to the top of his skull and smiles that 'I know I'm silly and what are you' smile, and the impersonation is complete.

Ferrante is a gentle Groucho, reminiscing about how he got started with all his brothers in a vaudeville act, and how they caught the attention of showbiz moguls and moved to Hollywood, where they made a string of hit comedies including A Day at the Races, A Night at the Opera, and Duck Soup.

The set has a piano, red curtains with posters of Marx Brothers movies, and an old ornate couch that Ferrante lounges on and sometimes jumps upon. On the night of this review, a cloud of dust came out when he flopped on the couch, and he made a few jokes about it. Since ACT Theatre's managing director, Carlo Scandiuzzi, happened to be watching, one wonders if the couch was deep-cleaned the next day!

Groucho sang a lot of silly songs ('Hello, I Must Be Going,' 'Lydia, the Tattooed Lady') and, with the help of accompanist extraordinaire Jim Furmston, Ferrante sings and dances some of the best songs and funniest bits from Groucho's long career. Clearly, he loves what he's doing. He started doing this kind of show many years ago with the help of Groucho's son, Arthur Marx.

Ferrante is an expert at going into the audience and kibitzing with attendees. Beware, he will tell you, no one is 'safe.' But it's all in good fun and part of the recipe for the enjoyable evening. In fact, you might like those moments better than the prepared show.

It does have an old-timey vaudeville feel, and that might turn off some young people, since the jokes are fairly gentle (unless they're sexually oriented). It is also specifically recreated material, which means that if you know it, it's nostalgic, and if you don't, it might feel dated to you.

Ferrante is a talented man and wants to awaken the love he feels for Groucho as a role-model comic in those who see the show. It really feels like seeing Groucho come to life, and is as close as any of us will get in the future to having that experience.

For more information, go to www.acttheatre.org or call 206-292-7676.

Discuss your opinions with sgncritic@gmail.com.

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