A Flea In Her Ear
at North Broward Prep School

Reviewed on April 5, 2013

Kaitlyn Schwab
Stoneman Douglas High School
Submitted for publication to

A wife's suspicion of infidelity leads to an uproar of chaos in Georges Feydeau's comedy "A Flea in Her Ear." North Broward Preparatory School's production of the piece was vibrant and amusing.

"A Flea in Her Ear" was written in 1907 and ran on Broadway for 86 performances. It has since been revitalized in high schools across the nation.

This play is set in Paris, France in the early 1900s. Raymonde Chandebise assumes the lack of her husband Victor Emmanuel's intimacy is due to the fact that he is being unfaithful to her. With the help of her friend Lucienne, she composes a fake, perfume-drenched seductive letter addressed to Victor, posing as a possible mistress. In the letter she sets a date and time for them to meet at the scandalous Hotel Coq d'Or as a trap to see if he will show up. Thus, the hilarious tale becomes one of mistaken identities, motives, and actions.

Paranoid wife, Raymonde Chandebise, was played by Lauren Skuta who anchored the show phenomenally with clear, concise dialogue and well developed characterization. Alongside Raymonde, Victor Chandebise was portrayed by Coby Tuchman and his consistent wild energy proved to be captivating and hilarious.

Raymonde's dear friend Lucienne, her partner in crime, so to speak, was executed by Samantha Stone. Stone was consistent in her role and never missed a beat. Neil Goodman, as her jealous husband Carlos, topped a new level of comedy in an already comedic show. His thick Spanish accent and impeccable timing provided for a lot of laughs.

The beautiful and elaborate costumes in the production were designed by 11th grader, Devon Horn. The costumes were time period appropriate and fit the actors perfectly. The two- sided revolving set was aesthetically pleasing, and the actors utilized it well. The sound was clear and crisp, and the lighting properly illuminated the unfolding storyline.

The cast and crew of North Broward Preparatory School's drama department showed commitment and professionalism in their portrayal of this whimsical French farce.

Eden Skopp
Stoneman Douglas High School
Submitted for publication to

The cast of North Broward's production of "A Flea in Her Ear" is ready to commit a folly. Would you join them as they tangle through the uproarious maze of the Hotel Coq d'Or? When a suspicious wife suspects her devout husband has been untrue, she will stop at nothing to prove his infidelity even if it means sending him a decoy love letter that unleashes raucous consequences.

Written by Georges Feydeau in 1907, this farcical French play exposes the hilariously nefarious plot of one jealous woman to uncover her devoted husand's alleged adultery. Fast paced and hysterical, "A Flea in Her Ear" follows the friends of Victor Emmanuel Chandebise through one ridiculous twist after another.

Coby Tuchman (Victor Emmanuel Chandebise/Poche) established the two characters of the gentleman, Victor Emmanuel, and the perpetually drunk porter, Poche, so distinctly that at first it appeared as if two different actors played the two foiling characters.

Neil Goodman (Carlos Homenides de Histangua) developed the flamboyant and riotously murderous, lisping Spaniard, playing off of his fellow actors and the audience to execute his lines with impeccable timing and characterization. Evan Haubner (Camille Chandebise) maintained Camille's outrageous speech impediment consistently and transferred distinctly to a normal speaking voice when Camille was using his silver palate.

The fast-paced nature of the show caused some problems with diction, however each actor developed strong characters and maintained meaningful relationships with one another. Devon Horn (Eugenie) portrayed the flirtatious French maid with charm and a constant, delicate French accent. Ashley Page and Jennifer Widelitz (the Chandebise maids) did not have any speaking lines, yet they maintained distinct characters, keeping the Chandebise household and emerging to answer Raymonde's beck and call each time she rang the bell.

Costume mistress Devon Horn designed and constructed each stunning costume in the style of early twentieth century Paris, each piece a work of art. The student designed and constructed set held up very well in spite of the beating it took from the actors. Makeup for an older character is a precarious task but Lauren Skuta, Devon Horn, Evan Haubner, and Jessie Carter captured the exaggerated age and senility of Baptistin, and allowed the old lady's features to enhance the character.

North Broward Preparatory's magnifique production burst with energy and exuberance that tickled our funny bones until the curtain fell.

Emily Peabody
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Submitted for publication to

Every bad situation is the result of a bad decision. Sometimes it's the things we know and other times it's the assumptions that we make that lead to the worst trouble; and you know what they say about people that assume. In North Broward Preparatory School's production of the French farce "A Flea In Her Ear," it's the assumption that leads to a hilarious chain of mishaps.
"A Flea in Her Ear" follows the character of Raymonde Chandebise, and the doubts she has about her husband, Victor Emmanuel's, faithfulness. She seeks the help of her best friend, Lucienne Homenides de Histangua, and together they create a plan that will help them discover the truth.Throughout this fast paced farce, a myriad of characters is introduced, punches are thrown, and a few guns are fired. All this excitement is mixed with two identical, yet totally opposite, characters leaves the audience on the edge of their seats, waiting for the next punch line.
Lauren Skuta, in the role of Raymonde, showed great commitment to her silly character. Her hilarious facial expressions really added to the humor of the show. Coby Tuchman had the difficult task of embodying two completely different characters, Victor Emmanuel and Poche. Coby did a wonderful and believable job.
Samantha Stone (Lucienne) made the most of her time on stage. Her ability to hit the punch line at the perfect moment made her character a favorite. Her comedic skill helped to carry the show. Neil Goodman (Carlos Homenides de Histangua) took the comedy to a whole new level with his interpretation of the loud, violent Spaniard. His timing was spot-on and his character was so much fun to watch.
On a technical note, costumes and makeup were phenomenal. The elderly look of some of the characters was so believable, even from different angles. Costumes were period appropriate and the colorful costumes on the louder characters helped to create a most comical feeling.
In conclusion, A Flea In Her Ear was a fantastic way to spend a Friday night. The cast worked so well together and really brought this unrealistic tale to life in a realistic fashion.

Jessica Levine
Plantation High School
Submitted for publication to

"There's no liar like a man, unless they're a woman."

The hilarity of that statement brings us to the wonderful performance that North Broward Preparatory School put on of the play "A Flea in Her Ear." Written in 1907, originally in French by Georges Feydeaus, "A Flea in Her Ear" is set in Paris at the end of the 19th century. It tells the riotous story of mixed identities, false accusations, and a hotel where relaxation is taken to a whole new level. Raymonde Chandebise, accusing her husband of having an affair, has her best friend, Lucienne Homenides de Histangua, write a mysterious love letter to her husband asking him to meet "her" at The Hotel Coq d'Or. If he were to show, it would prove his infidelity. But of course, what is a play without a drunken bellhop that is an exact lookalike of the husband, and an angry Spanish husband looking for revenge?

Portraying the role of Raymonde was Lauren Skuta. As a distraught, frantic, accusatory wife, Skuta was on-point. Her ability to keep up with the quick speech and comedic timing was stunning. She took her role and really found each and every nuance that was written in, and gave each line what it deserved. Her best friend Lucienne was played by Samantha Stone. Stone had great chemistry with Skuta, and also managed to play her part and give the audience a performance that they wanted.

Coby Tuchman, Victor Emmanuel Chandebise/Poche, was incredible. The show runs very quickly, and so did he. Playing two separate roles, the husband and the drunken bellhop, Tuchman was flawless. He would go in one door with one jacket on, and come out another with a different jacket and his bottle. Tuchman never missed a cue or got confused in which character he was supposed to be at what time. Neil Goodman, the overzealous Spaniard, Carlos Homenides de Histangua. Goodman was absolutely hilarious. Every time he entered a room, gun in hand, and every time he spoke, he had the audience throwing their heads back in fits of laughter. Camille Chandebise was played by Evan Haubner. Evan was just what the doctor ordered. His character has an extreme speech impediment, and you would have thought that he was born with it. He was never off with his lines, gave a seamless performance.

In all technical aspects, the show was fantastic. You would have thought that the costumes, designed by Devon Horn, were bought or made by professionals. They stuck to the time period and were pleasant to the eye. The make-up team also deserves a shout-out. They did a wonderful job with each character, young and old alike, having some people ask whether or not one character was actually an adult or not. The set was charming and very functional. While perhaps a little wobbly or a bit mangled by an enthusiastic Prussian, it was still well-designed. It was a nice surprise to see a wall that turned with a push of a button.

"A Flea in Her Ear" is easier said than done, even though it was said quite quickly. The cast members at North Broward Preparatory School kept up with the pace, never let it lag, and had the audience falling off their chairs.

Bryan Schall
Plantation High School
Submitted for publication to

North Broward Preparatory School takes to the stage in their production of A Flea in her Ear. This French farce written by Georges Feydeau takes the concept of miscommunication to a whole new level. The plot revolves around Raymonde Chandebise and her plot to catch her husband having an affair. However, chaos ensues when her plan goes wrong and an entire cast of people go chasing after one another.

Lauren Skuta led the cast as Raymonde. Her fluidity and command of the material was laudable. Skuta's commitment to her part was outstanding and her presence always had a natural feel to it. Next to her was Coby Tuchman who played Victor Emmanuel Chandebise/Ponce. His hilarious characterization left the house in tear, especially at points where he was playing two characters that looked identical. His spot-on comedic timing really made him a joy to watch on stage.

A performance that truly shone was that of Samantha Stone who played Lucienne Homenides de Histangua. Her character helps Raymonde set up to plan to catch her husband. Her perfect timing really helped in moving the story forward and provided for some great laugh-lines. Her maturity as an actress also shone on the stage in scenes such as the hotel chase. Another stand-out actor was Neil Goodman who played Carlos Homenides de Histangua, Luciennes Spanish husband. His hilarious persona was met with a sea of laughter every time he stepped foot onto the stage. Between his great accent and energetic vibe, Goodman truly brought life to this dimensional character.

The technical elements of the show were simply phenomenal. Costumes by Devon Horn were extremely period appropriate and well constructed. Each costume seemed to have an elaborate story to tell. Her mastery of color and material were very noticeable and her research conducted was very commendable. Another great technical element was the set by Sarah Sullivan. This elaborate and mammoth set really set the tone for this play: over the top and elaborate. Her use of revolving platforms and multiple levels really helped bring the space to life.

North Broward Preparatory's production of A Flea in her Ear was filled with enough twists and turns to leave both the audience and the cast out of breath. This insanely well executed production has truly set the standard for high school theatre. The commitment and energy of the cast as a whole were truly commendable and worthy of praise. This production will surely live on in the minds of the audience.