Review: Long Beach Playhouse's "Around the World in 80 Days" Does Invigorating Work Without Breaking the Bank

There are few stories that don't compliment the theater quite like Jules Verne's classic "Around the World in 80 Days." For starters, the story journeys through several continents and cultures, as well as featuring modes of transportation that range from trains to boats to elephants. However, there's something madly brilliant about The Long Beach Playhouse's recent production of the play, which defies all odds and does the story with limited props, a rather small stage, and only five actors. But don't worry. It hardly feels the wear of its limitations. Instead, it is a fun, madcap two hours of comedy and creativity as the story asks us to use our minds; not only for what cannot be seen, but to figure out the ingenuity of the production.

To an extent, the performance starts before showtime. As the audience waits in the lobby for the doors to open, the five actors are dressed and in character; holding momentary conversations with anyone willing. By the time that the show starts and the five rush to center stage, there's already a familiarity that eases the audience into the experience. The mood is light and, much like the 1957 adaptation, has a lot of sly British wit mixed in with a few slapstick gags and pop culture references. With a projection on a backdrop to depict the varying locations, the minimalist stage features little more than a few crates and an oddly dressed device on wheels that will serve as the mast for every form of transportation. 

What is possibly the most ingenious part of the first half is how it slowly introduces the atmosphere. While the play will diverge into sillier and more over the top aspects as things progress, the introduction is a simple affair, and one that makes full use of its stage. It is here that the first of the five actors runs off stage to change into a different character (a woman played by a bearded man). In time, protagonist Phileas Fogg (Rick Reischman) explains himself using the projection backdrop to explain how he plans to do his journey. With his trustworthy and outrageously French assistant (Stephen Alan Carver), the two go off on the journey with several hi-jinks in their way. 

With four men and one woman in the cast, it's a wonder that the story moves as fluidly as it does. With characters at times running across the stage just to provide five seconds of exposition, the story can become dizzying among the comedy. Still, there's an assurance and pacing to everything that leaves the production from ever feeling overbearing. Even as the settings become more complex (such as cowboys and Indians-type scene), there's a sense of magic and wonder to it all. With a few asides to the audience, the show feels very inclusive and serves as good clean fun. 

While Carver and Reischman do excellent jobs with their own limited characters, a lot of the magic comes from watching Jaxson Brashier and Mark Fields Davidson in action. Both actors embody at least half of the supporting characters who are often one-offs that have eccentric personalities and accents that only heighten the comedy. They also provide some of the more physical sequences and give the average scene a feeling of suspense. While the script is tight and has many witty lines, there's a good amount of comedy that comes from the unexpected (an actor even plays a train at one point). Thankfully, the actors provide a charisma that allows everything to move smoothly and doesn't make you miss the dozens of other actors that could've easily made everyone's jobs easier.

One could ask how you pull off "Around the World in 80 Days" with a limited budget and only five actors. In fact, that's the biggest appeal of this production. It doesn't skate by on cheapness, but instead chooses to impress with ambition and dedication to such a delirious concept. It is an astounding production, and one that demands to be seen. Kudos should be given to these five actors (which also includes Lisa March), whose dedication makes up for the limitations and makes it just a blast to experience. There may be more bombastic productions of this story, but you'll believe in the power of theater after these two hours are up. It's just way too fun to ignore.