Stamp collecting: the very mention of the term conjures up visions of magnifying glass-wielding old men bent over tiny pieces of paper. Doesn't sound very interesting to those of us who aren't involved in the hobby.
But when a pair of half sisters inherit a book of rare stamps that may contain the "crown jewel" of the stamp-collecting world, their journey to sell the stamp for big money leads them into the seedy underbelly of a world they never knew in Mauritius, a riveting blend of sharp comedy and edge-of-your-seat drama now being performed by the Chester Theatre Group at the Black River Playhouse through May 22.
Using the center playing space plus three corners of the intimate black box theater, Director Jay Mills keeps the action moving along at a clip, so that the tension never flags and we don't question several holes in the plot. Steven Nitka is superb as the stamp dealer Philip, dismissive, full of himself, unbending until it looks like there may be something in this deal for him. David Romankow's Dennis is a combination of sneakiness and charm, a stamp aficionado more than an expert but adept at playing psychological games to get what he wants. Their prey is Jill Bormann's Jackie, a wounded bird of a girl who sees the stamp collection left her by her late mother as a ticket out of a dead-end life. She may appear naive at first, but this young woman is a quick learner in this tangled game of lies and manipulation. Her nemesis is her half sister Mary, played by Carol Holland, who claims the collection since it belonged to her grandfather and she worked with him on it. And finally, George LaVigne as Sterling is the man to watch out for. He's really devious and not above using violence to get what he wants.
Nitka, Romankow and Bormann perform their roles superbly, especially Bormann, who has the lion's share of lines and emotion. Holland and LaVigne were less convincing, for their delivery sounded like they were speaking dialogue written for them by playwright Theresa Rebeck. This was especially noticeable in Sterling’s big showdown with Jackie and Dennis.
The small stage of the Black River Playhouse exudes the correct amount of claustrophobia necessary to keep the tension humming. Jonathan Wentz has designed a wonderful counter/desk for Philip's shop, complete with swinging doors and glass showcases. A pile of trunks and boxes is perfect as the attic of Mary and Jackie's mother. Ellen Fraker-Glasscock's lighting directs the audience to the various venues, and Jeff Knapp's sound design is appropriately ominous.
Oh, the title? Well, Mauritius, an island east of Madagascar off the coast of Africa, was only the fifth country in the world to issue postage stamps, and the stamp in question, "the Holy Grail of philately," owes its value to a printing mistake!
Watching Mauritius will teach you a great deal about philately and the value of stamps, but it will never bore you. Once again, the Chester Theatre Group has tackled an ambitious play and performed it well. This troupe is worth a trip to western Morris County, no matter what they do. They're that good.
Mauritius will be performed Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21, at 8 PM. The Black River Playhouse is located on Grove Street in Chester. For information and tickets, call the box office at 908.879.7304 or visit online at www.chestertheatregroup.org.
