One act opera full of laughs, broken hopes, dreams

Fast-paced physical comedy and wordplay abounded Feb. 12-14 in the Recital Hall as Viterbo's Music Department presented its production of "The Old Maid and the Thief," an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti. 

A small cast and a brief running time were taken advantage of, as a dense plot sped by, filled with pratfalls by Bob, the mysterious wayfarer mistaken for a criminal, played by Allen Pruitt, hysterics from the resident gossip, Miss Pinkerton, played with increasing panic by Chelsey Spaeth, bumbling surprise by Miss Todd, the old maid played by Lizzy Curtis, and clever winks to the audience by Laetitia, the maid performed by Ashley Mispagel. Ken Lauer played the Radio Announcer, smoothly carrying the narrative from scene to scene, eventually breaking the fourth wall by the end of the show and becoming part of the action. Hijinks ensued steadily throughout the show, with Miss Todd and Laetitia going to increasingly desperate measures to keep Bob, the wayfarer they think is a criminal, from leaving, the well-timed comic glances to the audience over a shared cup of tea or a 3 a.m. raid of the liquor store. 

Slightly below the surface, though, was a hint of melancholy for each character, as Miss Todd and Miss Pinkerton reminisce on the broken promises of life and love taken from them in their life, while Bob sings of escaping life through constant roaming and Laetitia yearns for a love that will take her away before it's too late. Even as the comic comeuppance occurs at the end, one can't help but feel sorry for the destitute, lonely lives these characters have led and, in some cases, will continue to lead. Laughter was plentiful in the show, but it came with a tinge of loss, as each character sings of a life filled with broken hopes and dreams.