Paris on the Platte

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

A scene from Paris on the Platte. Photo by Michael Ensminger

Curious Theatre Company at the Acoma Center makes history for Denver with Joan Holden’s commissioned play Paris on the Platte: The remarkable reign of Robert Speer. THE Robert Speer who looked at the trashed Cherry Creek and saw beauty. The Robert Speer who eyed the small Denver town and envisioned a municipal auditorium. Speer saw beauty wherever he looked. He dreamed parks, monuments, and statues. Determined, he bulldozed his way into city politics with charm, bribery, arm-twisting, with whatever means he could across the table, under the table to get his way.

At the same time, his dreams and schemes blinded him to the dishonorable conditions under which the poor people slaved 14-16 hours a day.

Chip Walton, producing artistic director of Curious Theatre commissioned playwright, Joan Holden after Mickey Zeppelen created the idea for Walton to ponder.

Paris on the Platte opened Saturday night at the Acoma Center, with a cast of eight of Denver’s finest actors playing 31 different roles.

Anticipation swirled over a Denver historical play housed in a building that stood during Speer’s reign as the first home-rule mayor of Denver.

Anticipation swirled over gaining insight to the man behind the legend, the crooked politician who did whatever he had to, to obtain what he wanted no matter what the price.

Little insight creeps through the action on stage that takes the form of an over-ripe melodrama. As a melodrama, Paris on the Platte, directed by Walton, is finely tuned with its over-sized exaggerations, villion-ish smirks, loud voices, winks at the audience, and clownish antics. Loud, noisy and fun for some, Paris on the Platte offers no insight to the man with what makes him tick. Unless one has just moved to Denver and never heard of Robert Speer, one learns nothing at all.

Parading on a gorgeous set designed by Michael Duran swathed in brilliant reds, becoming an easy backdrop for every scene the play leads to: a home, court room, streets in Denver, back ally or Paris, France.

The hand-picked cast finds themselves at home in the melodrama setting. Tupper Cullum not only plays Mayor Speer but an Irish Cop, as well. Unless one knows Cullum, it would be difficult to identify the same person behind the two personas.

Christopher Leo hangs his hat on nine distinct characters. A master at creating characters in the blink of an eye, he creates each one with flesh, blood, and soul.

Dee Covington plays three characters with a strong emphasis on Mattie Silks, one of Denver’s highlighted celebrity Madams.

Megan Meek smiles politely on the arm of Speer as Kate, his trophy wife, flaunts Polly, a prostitute, and the Mayor’s secretary.

Erik Sanvoid hides uniquely behind six characters. Kendra Crain McGovern engulfs herself as Virginia who fights for human rights against Speer, treating her maid like dirt, along with playing one of the prostitutes. Jada Roberts softens the hard-hitting melodrama style as Delores, a young black woman stretched to her limits looking for kindness, respect, love, and a decent living, Roberts touches the heart as Delores and two other characters. Even so, clowns of the political nature, and the boisterous type surround her.

David Dunbar lends his musical talent with ragtime piano music as the Piano Man frequently speaking for concerned strangers.

The characters, all of them, are superbly defined and staged for a melodrama.

If you enjoy melodramas, you’ll love Paris on the Platte. If, on the other hand, you are expecting insight into the colorful and tainted Robert Speer, you will be sorely disappointed, learning nothing you donŐt already know.