Little Foxes make for an interesting drama

November 20, 2:20 PMDenver Theater ExaminerDeb Flomberg

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Vintage Theatre Presents: The Little Foxes

I come from a fairly small family, with just one sibling and not much rivalry to speak of. I’ve heard stories of sibling rivalry taken to the extreme. Brothers and sisters can be the finest of rivals. In Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, the subject of sibling rivalry is brought forth with very high stakes and startling conclusions.

Produced by Vintage Theatre and directed by Craig Bond, The Little Foxes is the story of the Hubbard siblings; Ben, Oscar and Regina - and their decision to invest in a cotton mill. The three siblings struggle over the issues of coming up with the money, and then once the money is in hand, who should get the biggest payout of the profits. As the three deceivingly try to maintain control of the business deal, the husbands, wives, and children of the family get involved in the deception. It all comes to a chilling and startling conclusion.

There were some truly impressive performances in The Little Foxes. Boni McIntyre jumped headfirst into a role that was played on film by the incomparable Bette Davis. The character of Regina is a delightful twist on the traditional female role of the era. She is the cold hearted, villainous woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, yet set in an era where women don’t get what they want and are supposed to stay meek and out of the way. It is a difficult job for any actress. And McIntyre delivered beautifully. The two brothers, Ben and Oscar (Andy Anderson and Steve Seaholm) certainly had to rise to the bar set by McIntyre, and indeed they did. I was particularly impressed by Anderson, whose smooth talking, southern-gentleman-with-a-twist was simply delightful to watch. The ancillary characters certainly fleshed out the feel of the show, with some strong performances mixed in as well. Most notably Patrick Collins as Regina’s very ill husband, Jason Maxwell as Leo, Oscar’s clueless son who provides just the right amount of comedic relief in an otherwise very tense and dramatic show. Also of note is Michelle Grimes as Birdie, Oscar’s tragic wife in a performance that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.

Boni McIntyre as Regina Giddens

This is the type of show that depends on a very strong cast. The language is important, the dialog is long and meticulous, and it could easily be a very lengthy and difficult show to sit through. Luckily, Bond found the right actors for the roles, and he provides a very enjoyable evening of theatre. The Little Foxes speaks of an era of shows gone by. The detailed language, the intricate sets, and stunning costumes (beautifully designed by Peggy Morgan-Stenmark and Bonnie Maclachlan) these types of shows are just not done anymore. In today’s world of car chases, explosions, and gun fights people just don’t seem to have the attention span to sit and devote two and a half hours to a delicious verbal drama. It’s a shame. For if you are willing to really look at the story of the Hubbard siblings, you are rewarded with a very clever and interesting story – and after all, isn’t that what theatre is really all about? Telling a story? This is not a show for the casual theatre goer, but those who appreciate a detailed story, an intricate plot with clever twists, and delightfully interesting characters should definitely see The Little Foxes.