The concise history of love gone right and love gone wrong plays out on stage in Many Hats Theatre Company’s production of Fortune’s Fools.
The comedy written by Frederick Stroppel follows the story of two couples, Chuck and Gail who are about to be married and Jay and Bonnie, the best man and maid of honour.
Chuck is so smitten with Gail that he makes up silly rhymes like, “perfect life and perfect wife.” Jay, on the other hand, is less smitten with feminist, vegetarian Bonnie. After their first meeting he remarks that he has experienced “an overwhelming rush of instant contempt.”
The twists and turns that develop in the two relationships are a unique look at the institution of marriage.
“This play is a riot and the scenes go by lickety-split so we had to try something we have never done before,” said Many Hats publicist Ed Schneider. “Liz Marshall did a great job creating the sets for us which are projected onto a screen. Rather than have a bunch of people dragging furniture around for these short scenes we decided to do it this way. It looks really great.”
Fortune’s Fools is directed by Jamie Eberle and produced by Eleanor Walker. It stars Many Hats favourite Colleen Fox as Bonnie. Making their debut on the Many Hats stage will be Tyler Evans (Chuck), Michelle Younie (Gail) and Thomas Hunter (Jay).
“Michelle and Tyler have a long history of productions in Penticton with Soundstage and other companies, but it was always musical theatre so this is something new to them. We were looking for people in a certain age group and Colleen Fox mentioned Thomas Hunter. He has never been in a theatrical production as he is a musician and standup comedian, but he is very funny and has this great sense of timing so it has been great,” said Schneider.
Fortune’s Fools opens on the Cannery Stage in the Cannery Trade Centre at 1475 Fairview Rd. on July 4 and runs until July 27. Showtimes are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. There will be a reception opening night in the adjoining Opus Bistro which will give everyone a chance to meet and chat with the cast and crew.
Reserved seat tickets are $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors and are available at the Wine Country Visitor’s Centre or can be reserved by phone at 250-276-2170.