Maine actress and writer, Susan Poulin, became popular with her well known works, “Ida: Woman Who Runs With the Moose,” and “In My Head, I’m Thin,” both lighthearted comic offerings. She scores another hit with “Ida’s Havin’ A Yard Sale” now running at The Public Theatre in Lewiston.

In this one-woman show, Poulin is Ida LaClair, who with her husband, Charlie, really live the slogan, “Maine – The Way Life Should Be.” Life is grand for Ida in her double-wide home in Mahoosuc Mills and on this occasion she’s holding her own Maine traditional event, a yard sale.

Poulin is a natural comic and knows how to capture an audience. In this two-hour romp, she’s the only person on stage, though she’s able to craft a vivid view of the folks who visit her yard sale and her tight-knit circle of friends.

At one minute, she’s talking directly with the audience describing items in her yard sale and humorous events in her life. (Wait until you hear about her trip to the day spa in Bangor with “the girls.”) In the next moment, she’s engaged in conversation with Caitlin, her niece and certified Fungi Shun specialist, who’s serving as cashier at the sale or with her boss, Chip, from down at the A&P store who arrives with his beautiful, but not too bright, girlfriend, Tiffany.

“Down at the A&P, we call Tiffany – ‘Dip,” says Ida. “Get it? Chip and Dip!”

The one-liners are fast and furious as Ida spreads her wisdom about yard sales and life. She’s quick to explain the rules for setting up a yard sale, the fine art of “dickering” over prices, and the special details of yard sale merchandising.

Some of the best moments, both comic and thoughtful, arise from her reflections of everyday life. She talks about how her husband can’t seem to part with his aged recliner that’s served him for years but is worn for the worse.

When she describes how she and Charlie purchased the recliner and brought it to their double-wide (“We forgot to bring a tape measure and when we got home, we couldn’t fit it though the door.”), she’s describing much more than a worn out piece of furniture. She’s describing the simple things in life that loving couples do together – like buying a treasured chair and debating whether to part with it at this year’s yard sale.

Poulin’s creative partner, Gordon Carlisle, is a visual artist who created wonderful props and backdrops for the show. At center stage is an idyllic mural of the blue and white double-wide with a nicely manicured yard. Carlisle also produced some exceptional life-sized cutouts of the treasured lounge chair and a rusty dryer that’s ugly, but free to whomever wants it.

Carlisle also created the show’s opening theme song, “We’re Havin’ A Yard Sale,” designed as a pre-show primer. Unfortunately, it is a bit too fast and garbled to be really enjoyed.

Poulin is truly an outstanding entertainer who knows her craft and seems to love sharing it with audiences. Her offering at The Public Theatre is a gem not to be missed.

“Ida’s Havin A Yard Sale” runs through Nov. 12. Full price tickets are $16, an amazing bargain for such a first-rate professional production. For tickets and info, call 782-3200

Dan Marois recently celebrated his eighth year of writing theater reviews for the Sun Journal. He’s an actor, producer and writer who can be reached at [email protected].