What happens when a hopeful marriage is at stake, a woman acts as her brother in search for lost love, and a goofball servant takes on two jobs – each employer unaware of the other? In A Servant of Two Masters, rich comedy is combined with a whimsical adventure of love, confusion, and the confusion of love that takes place during the Italian Renaissance.
In short, the story tells of Truffaldino, a hungry servant who takes on two masters with dreams of double the meals. Unknown to him, one of his masters is a woman named Beatrice in disguise as her brother Federigo, who has come to town in search of her lover Florindo. Ironically enough, Truffaldino’s second master is Florindo himself. On top of that, with “Federigo’s” return, his previous betrothal to a young woman Clarice is back on the table, ruining Clarice’s current engagement with her lover Silvio.
The confusing mess of shenanigans amongst these quirky characters was strongly brought to life by Timber Creek High School. With vibrant color schemes shown in the sets and costumes, bubbly players who never missed a beat, and a loveably hilarious ensemble of zannis who transitioned scene to scene, the school’s production brought smiles and laughter throughout its entire length.
Richard DiBacco, who portrayed Truffaldino, gave his character the perfect amount of silliness and levity. He made the audience fall in love with his jumbled up thought process and never lost any believability while on stage. Amanda Milanetti (Beatrice) and Mohammad Barhamje (Florindo) were both extraordinary – Amanda playing a hilarious double role as a boy and a girl and Mohammad playing a flamboyant and outrageous master bringing out tears of laughter.
The show would be incomplete without Sean Staley’s portrayal of Pantaloon. His constant characterization and movement with a hunched back and cane showed his true dedication to his character and dominance on the stage. The characters of Clarice and Silvio, played by Jenny Petty and Chris Leary, both brought huge smiles with their show of cliché young love. The ensemble, or zannis, truly made the play. Their show within a show brought comedy and acrobatics together in between scenes and were a fantastic addition to the production.
The sets of the Inn, the courtyard, at Pantaloon’s house were all easily accessible by the characters, who made use of everything on stage from performing stunts on a fountain to climbing up a ladder on the side of the building. The bright costumes seemed to fit each character perfectly – Clarice with a pink dress and wig, Dr. Lombardi with an all black arrangement, and Truffaldino in rags. The stage was always well lit and the microphones had no issues with helping anyone be heard.
Despite some rushed lines, the show was easily understood and enjoyed by all. Timber Creek’s production of A Servant of Two Masters was wonderful example of dedication of time and effort by both the cast and the crew.
by Jacque Frank
Cypress Creek High School
