What the Butler Saw – Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, USA

On Saturday, August 27, 2016 we saw the performance of What Butler Saw, a comedy of grand magnitude. Written by British playwright Joe Orton (1933 – 1967), the play had its premiere in London in 1969 and later won an Obie Award for the New York production. As a bit of background, there is no actual "butler" in the play, the phrase What the Butler Saw is a British reference of looking through a keyhole. Joe Orton’s play gives the audience the feel of "looking through the keyhole" into a private clinic in the 1960s, with a hilarious plot of a nervous psychiatrist, Dr. Prentice (Robert Stanton) and his attempt to seduce a secretarial candidate, Geraldine Barclay (Sarah Manton) during a job interview with disastrous and outrageous consequences when he is interrupted by the misguided Dr. Rance (Paxton Whitehead) who decides to visit the clinic, his wife, Mrs. Prentice (Patricia Kalember), a hotel page, Nicolas Beckett (Chris Ghaffari), and a policeman, Sergeant Match, (Julian Gamble). When confronted, Dr. Prentice tells a lie which continually spirals out of control in an uproarious farce.

Paxton Whitehead (Dr. Rance), Sarah Manton (Geraldine Barclay),
Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

Fast-paced witty dialogue, outrageous characters, and a plot played full throttle by the talented ensemble made for an evening of gaiety, fun, and innuendo. No stranger to the Westport Country Playhouse, What the Butler Saw is director John Tillinger’s 14^th play at the WCP. Of note, he had previously directed both Sarah Manton and Paxton Whitehead in other WCP’s plays, and the on-stage chemistry boded well in this off-beat comedy. Sarah Manton and Paxton Whitehead had also worked together in a 2014 Los Angeles performance of What the Butler Saw at the Mark Taper Forum.

Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice), Sarah Manton (Geraldine Barclay),
Paxton Whitehead (Dr. Rance)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

The cast: Julian Gamble, Chris Ghaffari, Patricia Kalember, Sarah Manton, Robert Stanton, and Paxton Whitehead have highly credentialed resumes including Broadway, regional theatre, film, and television credits, and worked exceptionally well together as an ensemble to bring Joe Orton’s play, What the Butler Saw to life. Bravo!

Patricia Kalember (Mrs. Prentice), Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

For an evening of laughter and fun, do go see What the Butler Saw.

What the Butler Saw Cast

The Creative Team

Performance Information: The 2-act play has 1 intermission. Act 1 is 50 minutes, Act 2 is 45 minutes.

Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice), Julian Gamble (Sergeant Match),
Chris Ghaffari (Nicholas Beckett)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

What the Butler Saw performance schedule is Tuesday at 7:00 pm., Wednesday at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, Thursday and Friday at 8:00 pm., Saturday at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm. and Sunday at 3:00 pm.  Special series feature Taste of Tuesday, LGBT Night OUT, Opening Night, Sunday Symposium, Open Captions, Thursday TalkBack, Together at the Table Family Dinner, Playhouse Happy Hour, and Backstage Pass. 

Patricia Kalember (Mrs. Prentice), Chris Ghaffari (Nicholas Beckett),
Paxton Whitehead (Dr. Rance), Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

For information on the play or to purchase tickets, please call the box office at 203-227-4177 or call the toll-free number at 888-927-7529, or visit them on the website at www.WestportPlayhouse.org.

Chris Ghaffari (Nicholas Beckett), Julian Gamble (Sergeant Match)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

The Westport Country Playhouse Box Office is open during Performance Days Tuesday through Friday from 12:00 pm until 8:30 pm, Saturday from 11:00 am until 8:30 pm, Sunday from 11:00 am until 3:30 pm, and is closed on Monday. Non-Performance Days, the Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00 pm until 6:00 pm, and is closed on Monday.

Chris Ghaffari (Nicholas Beckett), Robert Stanton (Dr. Prentice)
What the Butler Saw
photo by Carol Rosegg

The Westport Country Playhouse named as "Theatre Company of the Year" in December 2013 by The Wall Street Journal, opened in the 1930s in a transformed 1835 cow barn, which has, and continues to attract, a "who’s who" of prominent actors. Looking at the framed posters of past shows that line the lobby walls was like entering an encyclopedia of the arts. A few of the many renowned actors who have appeared on the stage there include Ethyl Barrymore, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Tallulah Bankhead, Gloria Swanson, Don Ameche, Hume Cronin and Jessica Tandy, Jane Fonda, Danny Aiello, Blythe Danner, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Dreyfus, Whoopi Goldberg, Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, Lynn Redgrave, Gene Wilder, and Westport residents Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman.

Edward F. Nesta admiring the wall of historical performances

"Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a cultural nexus for patrons, artists and students and is a treasured resource for the State of Connecticut.  There are no boundaries to the creative thinking for future seasons or the kinds of audiences and excitement for theater that Westport Country Playhouse can build."

For information on upcoming events and other performances, please visit the website: www.WestportPlayhouse.org.

Upcoming Performances in 2016 – 2017

Westport Country Playhouse  
25 Powers Court
Westport, Connecticut  06880
United States
Box Office:     +1-203-227-4177
Toll-Free:       +1-888-927-7529
Fax:                +1-203-454-3239
Box Office:     +1-203-227-4177
Website:         www.WestportPlayhouse.org
Facebook:       www.Facebook/WestportCountryPlayhouse

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