Theater Review: “Off The Rails” by Magnetic Theatre

Scott Bean and Tracey Johnston-Crum star in Lucia Del Vecchio's Off The Rails at The Magnetic Theatre Photo courtesy of The Magnetic Theatre

Playwright and Magnetic Theatre staple Lucia Del Vecchio has achieved a new high with her latest offering, Off The Rails. She has always shown great promise as a writer, with many successful shows, but none more accomplished and refined than her latest. Rails is a delightful romp that takes the stage farce form through its madcap paces. There are multiple doors for characters to weave in and out of, broadly drawn personalities designed to compliment and/or counter each other and mistaken identities and impressions. All of the elements are there, and they are executed with brisk precision. The play runs through Saturday, Sept. 24.

Casting is key in such a show, and director Steven Samuels brought together many players who are familiar to the Magnetic stage, along with a few fresh faces. Tracey Johnston-Crum is the charming center of the tale as a glamorous film star, known for slightly over-the-top spy capers. Her fiance — played with nerdish perfection by Scott Bean — is tech billionaire Aidan, who bought an antique train to please her. On board, they make their way across the French countryside en route to their wedding.

Other outrageous characters flesh out the storyline as guests along for the train ride. Cody Magouirk and Christine Eide are a sexually charged duo. Magouirk gives a twitchy, predatory performance that is as creepy as it is hilarious. Eide alternates a burqa with a tight black shorts and tank top outfit that look like a Laura Croft Tomb Raider costume, complete with daggers tucked in garters and a bullwhip. Scott Fisher’s French conductor is something straight out of a Peter Sellers comedy (perhaps Murder By Death, with its mystery and tight ensemble). Meg Hale Brunton is great as a seductive French maid who may be more than she seems.

Along the way, misunderstandings and mistaken identities serve to accelerate the plot like a speeding train. Appropriate, since the actors are on a train, and we hear the sounds of it rumbling along the track throughout. They are all trapped in confined spaces as the action bounces rapidly from compartment to compartment. Jealousy rears its head more than once. The wedding is threatened by a revelation from Aidan’s past and secrets about the future of his company keep everyone in motion, each with their own agendas. Act one concludes with everyone clumped in the corridor at the peak of confusion when the train is stranded in a tunnel without lights. A full cast scream of comedic terror ends the act. The show picks back up mid-scream, after the 15-minute intermission.

The scenery is among the finest The Magnetic has ever put on its stage. It looks and feels like the inside of a train, with a corridor down the middle and two lavish sleeper cars on either side. The colors are cartoonishly bright and the trimmings are ornate.

It is a credit to Del Vechio and Samuels that this tightly written and directed show moves along at a steady pace, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. They know just when to let the ramped-up action deflate into a satisfyingly comical conclusion.

WHAT: Off The Rails by Lucia Del Vecchio
WHERE: The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot Street, themagentictheatre.org
WHEN: Through Saturday, Sept. 24. Thursdays through Saturdays, at 7:30 p.m. $21-$24

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Jeff Messer
playwright, actor, director and producer, Jeff Messer has been most recently known as a popular radio talk show host. He has been a part of the WNC theatre scene for over 25 years, and actively works with and supports most of the theatres throughout the region. Follow me @jeffdouglasmess

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Theater Review: “Off The Rails” by Magnetic Theatre

  1. Big Al

    One of the best shows (maybe THE best show) I have seen at Magnetic Theater, not counting the Bernstein Family Christmas Spectaculars, which occupy a universe of awesomeness all their own.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.