San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: SDSU’s very own ‘Paradise’ now at Don Powell

Courtesy of the SDSU Theatre Department

Masters students go all out for the new production

By David Dixon, Staff Writer

The first play of the season at the Don Powell Theatre is a good old-fashioned screwball comedy. Taking place in Paris in 1908, “Paradise Hotel” is about a man, Benoit Pinglet, who is in a loveless marriage with his cruel wife Angelique. Benoit finds out that his best friend Henri Paillardin is also having marital difficulties with his spouse Marcelle. Because Benoit has an obvious crush on Marcelle, he persuades her to have an affair with him.

Knowing their significant others will be out of town, Benoit decides to check into the Paradise Hotel.  The lodging turns out to be a dump that features subpar concierge service and a room that is presumably haunted. While Benoit and Marcelle quickly regret their attempted liaison, chaos ensues when personal friends and family decide to spend the night at the same hotel.

“Paradise Hotel” is a farce that is more about conflict than a treatise on social satire. Infidelity might be the starting point for the plot, but it is used as a crutch for the uproarious situations that happen during the three acts.

The company is made of students who know how to generate laughs. Thomas Hodges plays Benoit as a man who is as selfish as he is stupid.  Megan Stogner is believable as Marcelle, the straight woman involved in a crazy situation. And Bradley Sattler portrays Henri as a neurotic guy who does not know how to love his wife. Gracie Lee Brown is great as Angelique, a bossy lady who treats her husband as if he were a toddler. Meanwhile, Shane Blackburn leaves a lasting impression as Mathieu, a lawyer who stutters whenever it rains.

The play is comprised of two great sets. The events in Act I and III take place in the Pinglet’s home, a fancy house with elaborate doors and windows. Act II is when the Paradise Hotel comes into place. The hotel is a dingy looking two-story room, which turns out to be a perfect representation of what a character calls “the hotel from hell.”

Courtesy of the SDSU Theatre Department

There is one flaw that should be noted about the script adapted from Georges Feydeau’s original play. After a fast-paced opening act, the second act starts on the slow side. The first few minutes introduce several new characters who ultimately do not play big roles in the events that follow. However, the show is a humorous delight that does not suffer because of the minor flaw.

“Paradise Hotel” is the type of comedy that will have audiences laughing throughout the entire production. Benoit and Marcelle may not be the most sympathetic characters, but it’s entertaining to see how much over-the-top trouble they can get into.

Tickets and information about “Paradise Hotel” can be found on theatre.sdsu.edu.

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: SDSU’s very own ‘Paradise’ now at Don Powell