Love letters: Metropolis’ charming ‘Dear Jack, Dear Louise’ chronicles wartime romance
“Dear Jack, Dear Louise” — 3 stars
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s revival of the romantic dramedy “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” has a problem: Its run is too brief.
Inspired by the real-life love story of playwright Ken Ludwig’s parents, this tenderhearted, gently humorous two-hander is ideal for summer.
Told epistolary style, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” is a sweetly nostalgic, undemanding play. And Metropolis’ production — breezily directed by Mandy Modic and featuring the charming duo of David Moreland and Isabelle Muthiah as the titular couple — is an utterly enjoyable diversion.
Set during World War II, the play begins on June 1, 1942, when Moreland’s Captain Jacob S. Ludwig, a U.S. Army physician stationed in Medford, Oregon, acts upon his father’s suggestion and writes for the first time to a woman he has never met, aspiring Broadway actress Louise R. Rabiner.
Unfolding via letters over a breezy 105 minutes (intermission included), their relationship begins as pen pals exchanging pleasantries and progresses to friends cheering each other’s professional accomplishments and commiserating over setbacks. Among them are several failed efforts to meet in person.
In 1943, Louise meets Jack’s parents and family, including his 11 overprotective aunts, and her career gets a boost when she’s cast in the national tour of the musical revue “Hellzapoppin’.”
Romance blossoms between the couple, who begin signing their letters “love, Louise” and “love, Jack.” But further efforts to meet are stymied by Jack’s deployment to the European front for a mission he can’t reveal. A subsequent misunderstanding and an indiscretion threaten to derail their relationship, however the play’s conclusion is never in doubt.
Moreland and Muthiah are a likable pair.
Spunky and disarming, Muthiah has the showier role as the endlessly upbeat Louise. In one of the play’s funniest moments, we watch Muthiah’s Louise prepare a scene from Joseph Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” for an audition. Muthiah’s animated turn earned her a spontaneous and well-deserved round of applause opening night.
Introspective and contained, Moreland underplays the mild-mannered Jack, who — in one of the play’s most sobering moments — reflects on the words of Winston Churchill and takes courage in them as he prepares to ship overseas. Moreland is a poignant depiction of an ordinary man on the way to becoming a member of the greatest generation.
To that end, special effects by sound designer Sarah Ramos and lighting designer Alexa Wiljanen chillingly conjure the mayhem of the battlefield. And, in a nod to the play’s format, Bob Stilton’s evocative, albeit minimalist, set features postal-inspired accents, including a pair of 1940s-era stamps as a backdrop and an enormous, vintage airmail envelope used to frame the stage.
All in all, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” makes for a pleasant evening. If only the Metropolis run offered theater lovers a few more opportunities to see the show.
• • •
Location: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com
Showtimes: 2 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, through Aug. 3
Running time: About 105 minutes, with intermission
Tickets: $25-$49
Parking: Nearby garage and street parking
Rating: For teens and older; includes description of wartime violence, some period curse words