Multi-award winning Pacific Resident Theatre currently is staging its fourth show of the season, “The Dock Brief,” by John Mortimer, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8, and Sundays at 3, through Dec.13.
The Pacific Resident Theatre is at 705½ Venice Blvd., Venice, 310.822.8392 or www.PacificResidentTheatre.com
Directed by the Pacific Resident Theatre’s Robert Bailey (“The Turn of the Screw”), in The Dock Brief an unsuccessful barrister has been waiting for years to make a grandstand defense.
He is overjoyed when he gets assigned to defend an innocuous little man accused of murdering his wife. Finally, he will have his chance to shine. However, in pleading his client not guilty, the case may not go as planned.
Author Mortimer, an English barrister, dramatist and screenwriter, is most notably remembered for his comic novel series about a sleuth/barrister, “Rumpole of the Bailey,” made into a popular BBC series. He later wrote the script for the film “Tea With Mussolini,” based on the autobiography of Franco Zeffirelli. It starred Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith.
Mr. Mortimer became a legal consultant for the television series Boston Legal. He is father to the talented British actress, Emily Mortimer (“The Newsroom,” “Shutter Island”).
The Sunday Times of London called In The Dock “a perfect jewel of a play.” –
The New York Times called it “charming, comic…robustly amusing.”
“Comedy is, to my mind,” said Mr. Mortimer, “the only thing worth writing in this despairing age, providing it is comedy truly on the side of the lonely, the neglected and unsuccessful.”
Mr. Bailey, the director, led the theatre’s production of The Turn of the Screw for Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of the Henry James novella, and the Co-Op production of Joe Pintauro’s “Karma Boomerang.” He has acted in numerous Pacific Resident Theatre productions, including “A Question of Mercy,” “Lulu,” “Big Love,” “Ivanov” and “Shadow of a Gunman.” In New York he was associated with several leading theatres, including Circle Repertory Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, American Place Theatre, the Williamstown Theatre Festival and the Actors Studio, winning praise for his productions of contemporary plays in The New York Times, New York magazine and the Village Voice. His short dramatic film Last Call was an official selection at film festivals from Avignon, France to Sedona, Arizona. He has directed in Los Angeles for the Court Theatre, the Skylight Theatre, Pacific Stages and the Young Audience program at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mr. Bailey teaches directing and acting at USC, and he has staged a dozen School of Dramatic Arts productions. He has taught in the undergraduate and graduate programs at U.C. San Diego and Brown University.
Pacific Resident Theatre is a multi-award winning theatre company known for presenting classic plays, rarely seen works, and new plays. A member-based company, it won the Margaret Hartford Award for continuous achievement in the small theatre arena, among numerous other accolades. The company fosters local writers, actors, and artists to nurture their creativity, it about to celebrate its 30th anniversary. www.PacificResidentTheatre.com.
The cast:
Frank Collison (Morgenhall) has appeared in 150 stage productions, worked off- Broadway and in regional theatres in Boston, Denver and California. A founding member of the Pacific Resident Theatre, he began his film and television career when he moved to Los Angeles in 1984. Having made appearances in 50 feature films and television series, he is perhaps best known as Horace Bing, the hapless telegraph operator on “Dr. Quinn,” “Medicine Woman” and as Wash Hogwallop in “O Brother Where Art Thou?”
Wesley Mann (Fowle) has worked in film, television and theatre for the last 25 years after completing his actor training at PCPA Theatrefest in Santa Maria. He has acted all over the country, including ten seasons at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in New York, Portland Center Stage in Oregon, and American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He has taught Acting, Elements of Comedy, Improvisation at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and The Inner Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. He has appeared on 30 television shows and in nearly as many motion pictures. Wesleymannactor.com
Judith Borne can be reached at judith@borneidentities.com