![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_3099.jpeg\")
<\/a>Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n
On the plus side, I love Topanga Canyon\u2019s Theatricum Botanicum. So I’m always happy to go there. As Mr. X once wrote in the guest book at a friend’s house party in that area, I say to this outdoor theatre, \u201cThanks for the time warp.\u201d My friend Marc said the experience is so different from anything else in LA. That\u2019s what I love about it. I feel like I’m in the 1970s just driving up that road! (More on the venue a bit later.)<\/p>\n
I recently realized that I hadn’t been there for two years, so I wanted to make it to at least one<\/em> of their repertory shows this summer, and I chose No\u00ebl Coward’s late-in-his-career Waiting In The Wings<\/em>. (It\u2019s his fiftieth play out of fifty-seven.) I appreciate their bringing us this rarely-produced play.<\/p>\n But I found it to be only mildly entertaining, and, at just about three hours<\/em>, waaaay too long. I heard that theaters are required to do this play exactly as written, so the writing<\/em> is not the fault of Theatricum Botanicum. But I feel like the action could have been directed<\/em> to go much faster than it does.<\/p>\n As much as I admire the talent of everyone involved, (players, technical peeps, lovely theatre personnel, and, of course, playwright No\u00ebl Coward,) and despite the play being billed as a comedy, I found the story, (of very past-their-prime senior actresses living in a retirement home run by a charity,) to be mainly depressing. That could be just me, though; I\u2019m sure there are many others who find the narrative to be uplifting, hopeful, or charming. (Marc tells us it\u2019s \u201centertaining, but people near the end of life and dying off isn\u2019t cheerful.\u201d)<\/p>\n Michele Schultz, Ellen Geer, and Cynthia Kania. Photo by Ian Flanders.<\/p><\/div>\n One of the characters, played convincingly by Theatricum Botanicum\u2019s Artistic Director Ellen Geer, appears to have serious \u201csenile dementia,\u201d (as it was referred to in the \u201950s,) which is never an amusing topic. That’s not the fault of this theater at all, but it’s still not comedic. To me, anyway.<\/p>\n There are also a lot of inconsistencies in the story, which Marc noticed, as well. That has nothing to do with this particular production, but I don’t know how no one else has noticed this first discrepancy in the script in the sixty-six years since it was first presented in 1960: at one point, a mother says she hasn’t seen her son in seventeen years, and then later, she says it’s been thirty-three years. That made me think that maybe a lot of time had passed between some scenes, but that was not the case at all. (When the actors stated, \u201c\u2026thirty-three years,\u201d we both whispered to each other at the same time, \u201cI thought it was seventeen<\/em>!,\u201d so perhaps we both missed an earlier explanation.)<\/p>\n And then in one scene, the women return from some rehearsal at 3AM<\/em>. Why would old people be rehearsing in the middle of the night? That makes no sense. Maybe that’s how they did it in England in the \u201850s, but that would have been equally odd back then.<\/p>\n In another instance, we see one of the women moving out, and then the next thing we know, it seemed that she was back there in her room. Marc and I had no idea what was going on with that scenario. But upon doing research when I got home, it turns-out that we had it wrong because the script was very confusing. It seemed<\/em> that a gentleman caller was there for that oldest woman with dementia, who we see in a few scenes, but he was really<\/em> visiting a character we never<\/em> see. It\u2019s actually such a minor point in the story, but another one of confusion. So if you<\/em> see the play, I advise to just go with the flow, and not get that deep into any of it.<\/p>\n Susan Angelo, Jane Macfie, I do love the clever title, though. \u201cWaiting in the wings\u201d is what actors do before their entrances, and in this case, \u201cThe Wings\u201d is a British retirement home for older actresses who have nowhere else to go. I always joke with Mr. X, (who\u2019s a lot older than I am,) about how amusing the people \u201cin the home\u201d will find him. (But after seeing this play, I\u2019m going to stop doing that; I realize now that it\u2019s not a funny topic.) The Wings is sort-of like our own Motion Picture & Television Fund home here in LA, although I think the residents in that place actually get their own apartments. (This play made me pray that I never have to find-out! But it did inspire me to do a bit of research on that wonderful organization, and it really is a godsend for many elders in the biz. We\u2019re lucky to have it here.)<\/p>\n As I watched the show, I wondered if this play was the inspiration for The Golden Girls<\/em> TV series. That would make sense.<\/p>\n Waiting In The Wings<\/em> features a big cast, (seventeen actors,) who really fill-up that huge outdoor stage. I was glad to see so many senior actresses working. And I must say that the casting<\/em> is really good. (However, I could not find that credit anywhere!)<\/p>\n I had never seen any but three of the thespians before. I remember Earnestine Phillips from seeing her in a show here\u2026nine years ago! And once again, she brings a spark to the proceedings. [Note: All the characters are written as white and from the UK, and this one is supposed to be white and Irish. So, to cast Earnestine as the lone American, and a black woman, to boot, the producers had to get special permission from Coward\u2019s estate, as a few other theaters that have presented this show have done over the years.]<\/p>\n Jan Wikstrom and Susan Angelo. Photo by Ian Flanders.<\/p><\/div>\n It is an ensemble piece, but the main story is about the enmity between two of the women, played beautifully by Jan Wikstrom and Susan Angelo, (although the latter actress seems much younger than everyone else, so I would never picture her in a retirement home.)<\/p>\n My favorite performer of the group, though, was Will Collyer, one of only four males. (The other three had much smaller roles.) Will plays Perry, the secretary to the charity that runs the home, and his singing* is lovely. (Of course it is\u2014he studied theatre at UCLA, as did Mr. X and I. It\u2019s where we met!) Actually, the entire Christmas party scene in Act II, with several musical bits, is the best part of the entire show. *[Waiting In The Wings<\/em> is not a musical\u2014there\u2019s only that one scene in which he sings a song. But, if Coward\u2019s estate would allow it, I could see a very pared-down version of the play as a successful Broadway musical. Hey\u2014I<\/em> should work on producing one right now!]<\/p>\n (L-R) Katherine Griffith, Cynthia Kania, Will Collyer, On the technical side of the equation, it cannot have been easy to dress so many actors for such an abundance of scenes, but costume designer Vicki Conrad did just that, and well. At one point, when the actresses all came out in their nighttime going-to-bed outfits, Marc admiringly gasped, \u201cSo many colors! My God!”<\/p>\n And on a constructive criticism note, I know that this theatre group likes to use as much of their massive stage as possible, including the top floor of the structure on one side of it, but I can\u2019t imagine that old women would choose to live in a house with so many stairs. (I have a feeling that these real-life<\/em> actresses did not love going up and down them so many times, either. My knees hurt just watching<\/em> them!) So maybe, if they ever do this play again, all the women\u2019s \u201crooms\u201d should be depicted as being on the ground floor. Just sayin\u2019.<\/p>\n The big stage before the show begins. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n And, since all the shows are presented outdoors there, (of course\u2014that\u2019s the main attraction of Theatricum Botanicum!,) the ever-present cricket concert gets way too loud, but what can you do? Well, actually, perhaps make the sound system a tad louder. (I always hear audience members asking each other, \u201cWhat did she say?,\u201d and things like that.)<\/p>\n And now I have a senior actress friend\u2019s very happy story, as a lesson to never give up, particularly in show biz, which Waiting In The Wings<\/em> brought to mind. She\u2019s in her late 70s, and has been a struggling LA actress for well over five decades! She\u2019s appeared in some little theatre productions over the years, along with occasional lines in TV shows. And then, all of a sudden, she recently got a recurring role on a very popular TV series! Not only is that fun<\/em> for her, but it\u2019s also the most money she\u2019s ever made! So she\u2019s proof that being a senior<\/em> performer can sometimes work out.<\/p>\n Finally, here are some notes on Theatricum Botanicum itself. If you\u2019ve never been there, make sure to go early to spend some time exploring the rustic and peaceful grounds a bit. You can even have a picnic there, as so many visitors do. There\u2019s also a snack bar that features an interesting choice of items and beverages; Marc was more than happy to take advantage of it. (We also stopped at the Topanga Creek General Store on the way, for delish turkey sandwiches.)<\/p>\n Let me close with a bit of advice for your visit. First of all, wear insect repellent! On every inch of skin that\u2019s exposed. (You may also need a bit of\u00a0bat<\/em> spray\u2014the night I saw the show, there was one flying all over the stage in one scene; the cast practically had to duck!)<\/p>\n Part of the picnic area. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Secondly, no matter how hot it is outside during the day, bring jackets, sweatshirts, and blankets. And maybe even hats, scarves, and gloves! It does get that<\/em> chilly there when the sun goes down. (Even during this current heatwave, as the show went on, I piled-on sweatpants, a tee-shirt, a thermal pullover, two<\/em> sweatshirts, a winter skull cap, a shawl, a pashmina, a poncho, and<\/em> a couple of blankets! And I\u2019m rarely<\/em> cold.)<\/p>\n And unless you have one of those full-figured bottoms, real or fake, bring a cushion! Even the special reserved chairs in the front row, (as opposed to the cement bleacher seating,) need them. (You can also rent cushions on-site for a nominal fee.)<\/p>\n And, perhaps most importantly, save an entire day to read their more-than-detailed juicy program! It\u2019s beyond informative.<\/p>\n Waiting In The Wings<\/em> running (in repertory) through\u00a0October 3, 2026<\/strong> WAITING IN THE WINGS This play and experience was a little yin-and-yang for me. On the plus side, I love Topanga Canyon\u2019s Theatricum Botanicum. So I’m always happy to go there. As Mr. X once wrote in the guest book at a friend’s house party in that area, I say to this outdoor theatre, \u201cThanks<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
Will Collyer, and Michele Schultz. Photo by Ian Flanders.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/a>
Jane Macfie, and Susan Angelo. Photo by Ian Flanders.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/a>
\n Theatricum Botanicum 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.<\/strong>
\n 310-455-2322\u00a0\u00a0www.theatricum.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"