A House Not Meant To Stand
There seems to be many opposing opinions both about this play and this West Coast premier at the Fountain Theatre. Some people love it and some people can’t stand it. Emotions don’t run lukewarm here. I tend to be among the crowd that favors the play and much about the production. The first time I read the play, I didn’t like it. The second time I found the characters fascinating. Seeing it, of course, gives me yet another perspective.
Tennessee Williams said in his notes on A House Not Meant to Stand, “I am offering you my Spook Sonata…The house in the play is in a terrible state of disrepair, virtually leaking rain water everywhere…That house, and therefore the title, is a metaphor for society in our times.” Like the McCorkles and Dancies in the play, Williams’s own family contained two contrasting bloodlines—the patriarch, Cornelius, is clearly based on Williams’s own father who bore the same name. It is just this pivotal character of Cornelius that I find distressing, both in the play and in the production.
It seems to me that Williams gave no saving grace to this domineering, ruthless man. One would think a skilled actor would try his best to play against this limitation verging on stereotype—try to find interesting facets, glimmers of a more varied and intricate psychic, even intellectual, longings (after all, the man does want to run for the Senate), not “hit the nail on the head” so absolutely as is done by casting Alan Blumenfeld, a fine actor, but absolutely wrong (in my opinion, of course) for this part. It begins with his entrance: we see that rain is dripping from the crown of his hat. The audience laughs. He then walks center stage, tilts his head, and a great deal more water falls to the stage floor. The audience laughs again but this time it’s not realism but farce. There is too much baffoonery, shouting, and lack of variation in the development of the character. I do believe that this may very well have been the vision of the director.
Cornelius should move the play. He is the central, pivotal character, at least in the first act. Mr. Blumenfeld is so clownish and unreal that our attention focuses too quickly on his long-suffering wife Bella McCorkle, played exquisitely by Sandy Martin, and her defender, son Charlie McCorkle (Daniel Billet). In my opinion, the character of the father has to be much more interesting. I feel this is a major fault in the production.
Lisa Richards is fine as Jessie Sykes, the neighbor seeking rejuvenation through surgery. I do believe, however, that hers should have been the character to ”go over the top” exploring the limits of outrageous behavior, not the father. Robert Craighead (Emerson Sykes) seems far too young and without business acuity for his role and his fate. As a lech he was without slyness and never a threat. Another character cast simply for comedy? The history of a relationship between him and his wife simply doesn’t exist. Virginia Newcomb (Stacey) is, gratefully, somewhat restrained in her religious trance.
The video design by Keith Skretch is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in my life. How his creation is possible in such a small house bewilders me. Perhaps the entire production would do better in a bigger house.
In spite of my humble criticism, A House Not Meant to Stand is full of life; a wild and furious play given a wild and furious production. It has some fine writing, and is truly exciting. Ms Martin’s performance alone would be enough to attend.
I recommend this play, and I hope you all go and see it. The controversy only makes it a more interesting experience in the theatre. Go and decide for yourself.
Fountain Theatre
5060 Fountain Ave., Hlywd.
Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., through April 17
(323) 663-1525