This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 31, 2011 - As the lights fade up on Francis Howell North's main stage, guests are welcomed with a "Bonjour!" to "Chateau La Roach."
The crazy comedy opens on Francois LaRoche, owner of the quaint castle-like hotel Chateau LaRoche. Of course, chaos ensues, this time in the form of a health inspector disguised as a regular patron. To add to the hotel personnel pandemonium is an infestation of mutating cockroaches. The combination leads to a showdown similar to "Fawlty Towers" -- unwelcome guest against hotel staff. Sacre bleu!
Taken as a whole, North's rendition of "Chateau La Roach" was flat out fun and hilariously entertaining. Granted, there were some slow patches, but they were made over by a high-energy cast and efficient crew. Blocking, however, caused major problems in audience view and was generally distracting. The most outstanding element of the production was it was clear that the actors were having fun, which is perhaps the most crucial component to any show.
Zach Wood, as Francois LaRoche, led the cast with strong characterization and engaging line delivery. Instead of simply reciting lines (a common fault in high school performances) Wood immersed himself in the scenario, not once did he break character. Furthermore, Wood and several other members of the cast held strongly to some very tricky accents, an impressive mark of showmanship necessary for this particular play.
"Chateau La Roach" also calls for a large cast, all of which have speaking roles. North's supporting cast consisted of new and veteran performers ranging from freshman to seniors. Several actors such as Bryan Ryberg (Jip Nackerly), John Hallemeier (Nigel Havic) and Julia Carney (Hanula Bing) were especially entertaining. These performers were not only incredibly comical but were also completely dedicated to their character, a place where some of the cast fell flat. Even when they were not speaking a role they were still performing one.
The stage was lit adequately (Chase Usry and Tom Camden), and all basic cues ran smoothly. Scene changes (Lauren Tenenbaum and Rachel Rotter) ran well, but certain changes were awkward and perhaps unnecessary. Overall, North's technical performers provided a simple yet functional "Chateau La Roach."
Though some major procedural aspects of the show fell below expectation, the spunk and overall attitude of Francis Howell North's entire production team genuinely made "Chateau La Roach" a lovely stay.
About the Cappies
The Critics and Awards Program for high school theater -- known as Cappies -- was formed in the aftermath of the Columbine shooting to celebrate writing and performing arts at America's high schools. It operates chapters across the nation.
St. Louis' program was launched in 2002-03.
At the end of the year, the top performers, technicians and reviewers are honored during a Tony-style gala.
The Beacon is happy to help spread the word by printing some reviews.
Megan Horn is a student at Howell High School.