The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

Featuring the Perskey Ridge Players from Glasgow, Montana, the latest production in Globalstage's impressive series of filmed plays tackles Mark Twain's impish short story about small town hypocrisy. Hadleyburg, a provincial town perennially honored with the state's "Most Incorruptible" award, takes its motto from the biblical invocation "lead us not into temptation." As the play opens, the townsfolk are surprised by the discovery of a mysterious bag filled with money left on the steps of city hall--some $40,000 to be precise, to be awarded (according to an accompanying note) to the kind man who once gave $20 to a poor stranger passing through. To collect the reward, the beneficiary need only write down the phrase he uttered when he helped the stranger out. Not surprisingly, the heretofore untested residents find, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, that the only thing they can't resist is temptation itself. While the Perskey Ridge Players mount a spirited effort, convincingly switching genders and adding decades on to their lives between scenes, the production is undermined by the decision to almost completely hide the theatrical nature of the piece. Exaggerated facial expressions and projected voices are easily accommodated on a stage where actors play to a crowd, but with both stage and audience absent here, these attributes give the presentation a strained sitcom feel. Somewhat disappointing, given the superior seven productions preceding it (such as Pinocchio [VL­-7/98] and Playing From the Heart [VL-3/99]), this is recommended for those collecting the set and optional elsewhere. Aud: E, I, J, P. (R. Pitman)