Review: YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU is seamless, boasting many of Theatre Arlington's top-shelf talents
You Can't Take It With You
Reviewed by Kyle Lester
As a lifelong theater nerd, I’ve been exposed to all kinds of performances in my four decades on this planet, and I can confidently say that an ensemble comedy is by far the most difficult to pull off. Like a Monet painting, all of the actors have to embody colors of personality that pop on their own while blending seamlessly into their fellow brushstrokes, and I’m not just talking about the script. The multitude of entrances and exits must be meticulously choreographed to every comedic beat without feeling cluttered or over-busy. It’s an incredibly unforgiving feat, as any misstep can reverberate through the audience in a big way. Add a 1930’s-penned, multi-award winning script to that challenge, and you may feel as though you’re in for two hours of polite chuckling with an obligatory golf-clap at the end. Anything better could only found on Broadway, right?
Well, instead of forfeiting the contents of your wallet for a trip to New York, just pop on over to Theater Arlington and let them transport you there. You’ll find yourself immersed in a museum-esque living room shared by an amusing tapestry of characters that truly march to the beat of their own drum…or xylophone, in this case. Set in late 1930’s New York, You Can’t Take It With You is the seminal work of playwrights George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. They didn’t pen a play so much as a collision of two distinct life philosophies: the relentless pursuit of achievement and prestige vs. embracing your true self no matter how unconventional. The Vanderhof family (and I use that term loosely) represents the latter, and the Kirbys the former. Ever the impetus for many seemingly illogical choices, romance between members of the two families provides the catalyst for this fiasco. Helmed by Directors Sharon Kaye Miller and Larry Cure, this production invites far more than the aforementioned polite golf-claps. Their talented cast expertly turns the Kaufman/Hart script into two-hours of authentic laughs with a message that will always hold relevance no matter what century you’re in.
Although David Coffee’s superb turn as the enlightened Vanderhof patriarch defines the show’s orbit, there is truly no one stand-out player here. The cast knows exactly how to make this delicate script work. Each character maintains their own distinct quirkiness without detracting from the next, and the audience gets to reap the hilarious benefit of their efforts. Similarly, the pacing is perfect. The dialogue keeps its necessary pace and the occasional quiet moment is purposeful and played with great comedic effect. If period-based ensemble comedies are an unforgiving tightrope, this group dances across it with ease. Of course, if you read the cast biographies you’ll see that it’s no surprise experienced actors like Landry Beckley, David Coffee, Maximilian Swenson, and Laurel Lynn Collins are behind such a delightful evening, but it becomes all the more impressive when players like Jenna Anderson and Deborah Brown can prove just as memorable with limited stage time.
Set Designer Bryan Stevenson and Scenic Artist Sydney Dormire turn the stage into a separate character in itself. The high walls are adorned with a roadmap of diverse knick-knacks that suggest a life well-enjoyed by the elder Vanderhof, turning his house into a museum that would make antique aficionados (and snake-lovers) squeal with excitement. I was impressed by the sheer number of period specific set pieces littering the stage without it ever feeling cluttered. Stevenson’s and Dormire’s attention to detail pays off here, as nothing you see looks out of place in late-depression era New York. I went so far as to examine the American flag hanging upstage to ensure it held the right number of stars for the time (48, if you want to know.) Alas, the angle at which it hung thwarted my attempt to nit-pick on their historical accuracy. Whether they actually found a 1938-replica flag or simply hung a modern one strategically enough, hats off to them.
The same can be said for Saul Ortiz’s costume design, whose wardrobe choices fit both the time and personality of each character. They didn’t look like actors who threw on the best passable outfit they had for the show; they looked like a family who was perfectly comfortable in both their clothes and the skin underneath. Costuming is a detail often taken for granted, but you know they nailed it when it doesn’t distract you. When it truly “fits”, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Theater Arlington is offering two well-spent hours of laughter and heart, and I highly recommend you take them up on it. Throughout the wacky hilarity you’ll find a poignant message that we could all use once-in-a-while: that our time on earth is limited, and perhaps it is best spent on our own terms. After all, you truly can’t take it with you. Cheers.
You Can’t Take It With You runs through September 28.
Best Laugh-Out-Loud Moment: Jenna Anderson’s improvised (?) interaction with a hanging bicycle horn as her character drunkenly exits the stage. It was just…*CHEF’S KISS*
Best “Just see it and you’ll know” Line: “EGGS, EGGS, EGGS, EGGS, EGGS!!!” This dude is my spirit animal.
Production MVP: Set Designer Bryan Stevenson and Scenic Artist Sydney Dormire. I would’ve kept complimenting how perfect the stage was but I had to keep this review short enough to read.
Cheers, and I'll see you at the next curtain!
Kyle
Comments
Post a Comment