While pursuing a successful career as a music reviewer, Bernard Shaw--the G. was used later--turned to playwrighting under the influence of Granville Barker. His first major work was "Arms and the Man", its title taken from the opening lines of Virgil's "Aeniad", as every British schoolboy knew. Farcical in tone, the play nevertheless was an indictment of militarism, with a touch of foreboding from the warclouds looming on the European horizon, as the great powers jockeyed for position practicing on small wars in the Balkans. Bulgaria, whose top officers are all Russian, is fighting Serbia, whose main officers are Austrian plus other mercenary professionals.
The play takes place in the home of the highest ranking Bulgarian officer, Major Petkoff, who's fighting in a nearby battle. The first scene is his daughter's bedroom. Raina, played by Ellen Adair, last seen as the Bride in Janet Kenney's world-premiere "More than What," is beside herself since her fiance has just become the hero of said battle. So is her mother Catherine, played by local stalwart Bobbie Steinbach. Their maid Louka, played by Sarah Abrams, seen last spring in the Lyric's premiere of Neary's "Kong's Night Out," comes to tell them that Serbian soldiers are fleeing through the town. The windows must be locked and the lights out.
Of course, as soon as Raina is alone, in through the window comes a man in a Serbian uniform. Bruntschili, played by versatile Barlow Adamson, for once getting to play the hero, is however a Swiss mercenary. His pistol isn't' loaded because he fills his cartridge box with chocolates. Raina distainfully offers her the last of hers, three chocolate creams which her devours ecstatically. A passing patrol decides to search the house and she lets him hide behind the curtains. Louka who comes in with a Russian officer searching the house luckily spots Bruntschili's pistol on the bed and hides it. The farce is well set up with secrets fully supported by director Spiro Veloudous' well-chosen very experienced ensemble cast.
Sergius's heroism, displayed in full fig in Act II by tall James Ryen, last seen in Speakeasy's "Fat Pig," has already been called to question by Bruntschili's version of the battle. His calvary unit charged the Serbian guns when his horse ran away with him and the Bulgarians only escaped slaughter because the Switzer had been sent the wrong ammunition. Moreover, he's romancing Louka despite his protestations of undying love for Raina. The servant is of course delighted and her supposed fiance, Nicola the butler and general factotuum, played by Peter A. Carey, who lead off the Lyric season as John Adam's in "1776," is not unpleased with the situation. If she snares Sergius she'll be another customer for the shop he's saving up to open in Sophia and not cost him so much.
Finally IRNE winner and another stalwart on the Boston scene Ken Baltin appears as the pater familias, back in his garden, where his wife is drying laundry on the fence and looking for his favorite old coat--which Raina put on Bruntschili when he made his escape the morning after. Baltin was last seen in the world premiere of "King of the Jews" at B.U. The production fittingly has the air of being done by a stock company of familiar actors slipping into Shaw's well-tailored roles, able to illuminate the small details and more delicate moments of humor. Baltin and Steinbach achieve this most often, while Adamson could be more heroic while still under stated and Ryen display more range to his pomposity. He does get a good share of the laughs however.
The unit setting for the show is defined Cristina Todesco's art nouveau inspired folding screens, plus a fine hodgepodge of period furniture. Molly Trainer's period and regional costumes have a nicely chosen palette and slightly exotic air, with the slight comic opera air the show requires. Jonathan Goldberg has composed and recorded a fine overture made up from parodies of national anthems plus appropriate regional music between scenes. And under all the laughter are many themes which Shaw will develop in more serious--and longer--works over his long career. Local Shavians will have a chance to see GBS in his prime when the Publick Theatre present "Misalliance" in repertory with "Romeo and Juliet" this summer.