84, Charing Cross Road

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

In a world choking on upside-down relationships, political correctness, mega corporate mentality, efficiency techniques, cell phones puffing up a sense of importance for all the world to hear, the colorful charming humorous letters between Helene Hanff and Frank Doel of Marks & Co. at 84 Charing Road, London England engulfs as a blast of fresh mountain air, as warm as a new puppy, and as delicious as a creamy New York cheesecake.

Sallie Diamond as Helene in Germinal Stage Denver’s production of 84, Charing Cross Road.

Under the magical direction of Ed Baierlein, Sallie Diamond disappears under the guise of Helene Hanff. From her cold during the day Manhattan brownstone apartment, Helene wanting to have a connection with England engages in a 20-year letter writing escapade with Frank. Her apartment is cold during the day. After all, everyone works, leaving at nine, returning at six. Why would an apartment manager keep the heat on for one person? She doesn’t complain, just wraps herself in oversized sweaters. Well, yes, she does complain, but her humor outshines any negativity. That’s her charm.

Having a penchant for books of antiquity, she knows she can find them some place in New York, but feels London is more accessible than having to go 15 New York blocks.

Her initial letter to Marks & Co. began “Gentlemen.” Noting one in particular always answered her letters with initials, she began addressing them to FPD. She learned his name was Frank, but in her devil may care perceptive simplicity, she finally called him Frankie.

In an apparent lost art of letter writing, Helene hunts and pecks on a standard typewriter engaging letters written the way she talked forthright, direct, with a touch of stream of consciousness. Books, her major topic of interest indulges in comments about their condition, spouts off if the wrong book is sent, and needles Frank. Appalled over food rationing in England, she sends a ham for Easter. Freaking over the thought they may be Jewish, she offers to send a tongue.

Through the colloquial letters, a unique relationship develops not only between Frank and Helene, but the rest of the staff at Marks & Co. Even though they never met, the relationship grew strong, honest, and deeper than many who live in the same house.

Frederick J. Lewis provides Frank with a controlled English demeanor that warms to Helene’s colorful simplistic but graphic letters. The warmth grows into affection, which admits to a rich long distance love affair of depth, respect, appreciation, and gratitude.

Jenny MacDonald gives Cecily courage to write Helene on her own, knowing Frank would be angry if he knew. Cecily understands Frank considers Helene to be his own; it is Cecily, who paves the way to warm the austere Englishman. It is MacDonald who traces Cecily’s fondness into veracity.

Megan (Heather Day) and Bill (Todd Webster) get caught up in the engaging letters and unique relationship providing support to Frank having the right information at the right time.

The letters themselves are entrancing, but the artistic staging gives inspiration and depth to the in-depth relationships. Helene’s small cluttered apartment covers the upper level while Marks & Co. encompasses the lower level. This enables the characters to actually relate to each other across time and space.

Much of the enchantment is experiencing the reactive expressions not only between Helene and Frank but also between Cecily, Megan and Bill. The reactions are rich, with spontaneous off the cuff emotions. When Cecily leaves the company for a year to join her husband in Iraq, it offers Helene and Cecily to wave goodbye to each other.

Chip Winn Wells completes the stunning cast as Maxine, an actress friend of Helene’s who travels to London and Mrs. Todd who has to inform Helene the end of an era has come.

This play adapted from Hanff’s book 84 Charing Cross Road by James Roose-Evans engulfs the atmosphere with poignant warmth permeating the entire theatre. This is a rare opportunity to experience humans touching humans in a unique and original way and in turn being touched. It is a magnanimous love story that crawls into the heart and soul wanting more, never wanting to leave.