As cold weather creeps upon the U.P. during these fall months, live indoor entertainment comes alive on Northern’s campus, away from the residence halls and into the theater.
The Forest Roberts Theatre is hosting a play directed by Paul Truckey called “A Flea in Her Ear” every night from Wednesday, Oct. 6 to Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a special matinee performance on Oct. 9 at 1 p.m.
“The theatre offers a live atmosphere, and the play itself gives an evening of comedy,” Truckey said. “The audience will come to a show and leave happy after a satisfying night of laughter. The play is a true farce, and a fun case of mistaken identities.”
Thirteen characters make up the entire cast for “A Flea in Her Ear.” Victor-Emmanuel is played by Wayne State University graduate Jeremy Kucharek, the faithful husband of Yvonne, played by senior Emma Couling. The couple faces off in a battle of mistaken identities as Yvonne begins the story by searching for answers of her husband’s recent “intimate” dysfunction. With help from her best friend Lucienne, played by senior Elizabeth Stahl, she devises a plan to get to the truth behind his sudden lack of affection.
“If the theater’s goal is to entertain, this play does just that. It’s two hours of fun for the actors and the audience alike. And for the college students, this is the first written play on record to blatantly make a joke about erectile dysfunction,” Couling said.
The group of cast members in “A Flea in Her Ear” carry numerous years of experience, most of which date back to middle school.
“I have worked backstage as run crew for (NMU productions) ‘The Tempest’ and ‘The Mousetrap,’” Stahl said. “I feel that having a theater on campus is a wonderful thing for the community. It brings an extra touch of culture to Marquette that only a theater can.”
Another veteran theater member, Pierce Huxtable, plays Camille, a character with a speech impediment. Huxtable has 15 productions under his belt since grade school, and said he is excited to add more to his already extensive list.
“With regards to Camille’s speech impediment, it was somewhat difficult to get used to speaking in that way. Actors are always taught to enunciate everything perfectly clear, but Camille demanded the opposite. And yes, I do sometimes get stuck in ‘Camille-speak.’”
The play has two settings, with loud and unique characters that tie into the story with great importance.
“A Flea in Her Ear,” written by Georges Feydeau, is a play from the early 1900s. The cast will have rehearsed for a total of six weeks prior to the play’s Oct. 6 premiere.
Tickets can be purchased through the EZ Ticket option on the NMU website, or at any EZ Ticket outlet. Prices for the general public are $12 and $10 for students.
