Theater Review: Classic comedy charmingly captures a simpler time
Tolstoy once wrote: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” However, he never said anything about what crazy families are like, an omission that playwrights George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart explore in the charming “You Can’t Take It With You,” which opened Thursday night at the Duluth Playhouse.
Martin Vanderhof (Kevin Walsh), the head of an eccentric clan, does not believe in paying taxes. His daughter, Penny (Kirsten Hambleton), writes plays, while her husband Paul Sycamore (David Short) makes fireworks in the basement with Mr. De Pinna (Kirby Wood), their former iceman.
Alice (Louisa Scorich), the single daughter, has the Mary Tyler Moore role of being the only sane person in the house. The good news is she has found an equally serious gentleman caller in Tony Kirby (Jason Scorich), the boss’s son. The bad news is she has to introduce Tony to her crazy family.
Not to worry, because things will get way worse when Tony’s parents (the put-upon tag team of Kendall Linn and Ellie Martin) show up at this insane asylum. Just think of the prospective in-laws meeting in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” injected with humor growth hormone.
Today these characters are quirky but quaint, and their eccentric behavior is more endearing than embarrassing, at least until you get all of them in one room at the same time. Above all, they are just so kindhearted, which may well be what dates the play more than anything else.
There are several rather risque jokes for 1937, including one innuendo that must have brought the house down back then (remember, Kaufmann wrote for the Marx Bros.).
Short has a lovely moment discovering Alice’s engagement, Smart sets a new standard for hyper-kinetic energy, and Carolyn LePine makes the most of being only one sheet to the wind as Gay Wellington. Jason Scorich succeeds wonderfully in not sounding at all like himself in his endearing characterization of Tony.
Scenic designer Ann Gumpper has dressed the set with an encyclopedic collection of odds and ends that nicely reflects the collection of odd characters. Jeff Brown’s lighting design includes a dozen actual lamps and sconces, and a nice special effect for the basement.
Rob Hadaway, making his Playhouse debut as a director, turns the three acts into two, using the act break to set up the show’s biggest laugh, and also having cast members offer a trio of delightful period songs to cover the scene changes.
Duluth Playhouse Precisely On Target
“Facts are the enemy of truth,” as Don Quixote says at a memorable moment in Man of La Mancha. We live in a momentary cycle in which the notion of facts are passed over in favor of what someone thinks to have happened. At the same time, the world of the theatre goes on. I applaud the Duluth Playhouse for its timely staging of “You Can’t Take It With You” so soon after our November presidential elections.
Moss Hart and George Kaufman were dealing with mid-depression audiences when they created this incredibly satirical show. Both Broadway and Hollywood embraced the show, and it won every award possible in those years. The play is still very powerful in our own time. The best things in life are still honesty, integrity, and being mostly satisfied with this life, with all its imperfections.
Martin Vanderhof, (Kevin Walsh), is the prophet of the era, who makes sure that everyone in the play adheres to an ethical standard that is not popular at the time. His daughter, Penelope (Kirsten Hambleton) understands his philosophy, and tries to teach her family these values. Therefore, we have dancing lessons in one room, fireworks under construction in the basement, marimba lessons on the upper level, and a love relationship in motion between Tony (Jason Scorich), a banker’s son, and Alice (Louisa Scorich) daughter of Penelope and grand-daughter of Martin.
On Friday and Saturday night we watched the 1937 Frank Capra film version. It’s a bit of a blur to go from house to house to bank board room to jail to the courtroom and fireworks punctuating the scenery. At this point, I definitely prefer the stage version, with the dialogue far more central to the story than all the changes of scenery. At the same time, the sumptuous Vanderhof mansion scenery, designed by Ann Gumpper, was a delight all evening. Jeff Brown’s lighting highlighted the action and dialogue as it moved from one side of the stage to the other.
Grandpa Martin is the one who reminds the senior Mr. Kirby (Kendall Linn) that the harmonica in his pocket is far more valuable than the millions in his banking portfolio. After all is said and done, you can’t take it with you. Frankly, the whole cast was really ‘spot on’ last Thursday. Gay Wellingtion was always drunk, as well as front and center, and the Duchess Olga made an impressive entrance just when all chaos was in full motion. Carolyn LePine was quite convincing in both(!) of these roles. Kirby Wood was an impassioned scientist as Mr. DePinna, even if glorious fireworks would become his undoing.
Through it all Penelope keeps her calm, and introduces all the newcomers to the particular part of the house they came to visit. Mrs. Kirby (Ellie Martin) is as stuffy as necessary, until her love of the occult opens her up to new possibilities. Essie (Hannah Smart) wisely dances her way through the play, oblivious to the enormous variety that simply doesn’t matter to her focus on dancing.
Director Rob Hadaway certainly caught the Duluth essence embedded throughout this play. We love life up here, and we want to share and celebrate with others, with a special acceptance of diversity as part of the warmth of a winter evening. You Can’t Take It With You might be a good play/movie to add to your collection for the next several years. I hope you visited the Duluth Playhouse version, for sure. But this story will never fail you as a reminder of the importance of integrity in a world that seems to be moving toward the slippery side.