REVIEW: Lady Susan Comes to Life in Laughable Fashion

The Jordan River Theatre Company has put on numerous performances over the past few years, and for a relatively small theatre group, they often do better than the grandest of Hollywood studios; This latest performance, of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan, was no exception.

As a newcomer to Jane Austen’s works, I was told to expect a vast amount of wit-laced dialogue, and I got that in abundance. The selected cast made each character come to life in an extraordinary way, with each providing a savory selection measurement. I should like to especially call out Susan Attar, who dazzled spectacularly as the gracefully devious titular character Lady Susan and Noah Arevalo, who basically stole the show as he charmed audiences as the suave Reginald.

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon, played by Nate Hibl, and Marian Sholar respectively, had excellent spousal chemistry with each of them adding scintillating dosages of comedic relief with Ms. Sholar’s seemingly snobbish and quirky facial expressions and antagonistic dialogue, always geared with suspicion towards Lady Susan, and Mr. Hibl’s courageous attempts at trying to be the leader of the house with his commanding lines that were hilariously dimmed by his voice, which gave off the same vibes as a young lion cub trying to roar for the first time.

Lady Susan’s daughter Frederica, played by Regina Hibl, was one of my favorites in the entire play due to her character development from a frightened girl who struggled to speak to a remarkably charming young woman who was able to inspire even her mother towards the end of the play.

The set design, for a small performance, was simple yet elegant. The backstage crew (Madeline Sholar, Michele Luvera, and Joan Schmiedicke) is to be heavily commended for all the hard work and dedication put in to all the details. Lastly, I cannot finish this column without saying a word or two about the directors and producers…among them, the leader of the JRTC, Alex Clark, as well as director Brigid Hess and co-director Sophie Clark. Every performance put on by this small group always seems to outshine the other and I look forward to many more performances over the summer and beyond. A well deserved BRAVO!

Josiah Tureaud

About The Jordan River Theatre Company
The Jordan River Theatre Company is a group of actors, directors, and writers based in the parish of St. John the Baptist in Front Royal, VA who run the club as a creative outlet for young adults aged 18 and up. We aim to produce high-quality productions for the local area that allow us to utilize our talents and have fun doing so. Our goal is to share the joy of Christ and His Catholic Church through the gifts of theatre and music with the local community.