The Traveling Lady
I have always had a particular fondness for Horton Foote. I am not alone in my appreciation of his many works. He won two screenwriting Oscars, one for the film version of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1961) and one for Tender Mercies (1983). He was nominated again for adapting his much loved play The Trip To Bountiful (1985). His play Young Man From Atlanta earned him a Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1995 and in 2000 he was given a National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton.
The Traveling Lady, however, has within it an innate danger which, if the actors don’t work very hard to overcome it, drowns the play in sweetness. This production by The Actor’s Co-op has no bite, no abrasiveness, and thus no danger or suspense. We drift into the saccharine.
The set (Mark Svastics) is absolutely beautiful, but where are the cracks and grim of years and ancient sorrows? Overall the acting is acceptable. Tim Farmer as Judge Robedaux is very authentic and simple. I would have liked to see him even more disturbed by the memory of the ancient beatings a woman gave her son. Susan Carol Davis shows passion as Miss Clara, the lonely spinster; a caring, loyal sister, (although the rhythm of the accent sometimes causes Ms Davis’ lines to appear garbled). Michaela Rose Haas (Margaret Rose) is in fact an exceptional nine year old, precious beyond belief, with acting skills far beyond her years.
The problem is that everybody on stage is trying so hard to be incredibly sweet and adorable and honest and good and funny, and oh, dear, give me a break. It was all so safe and predictable. The cast under the direction of Linda Kerns should have striven for deeper subtext and character development. David Atkinson (Slim Murray) started out so well as the strong, quiet, hulk, but failed in showing frailty when talking of his deceased wife and I only knew he was attracted to ‘the traveling lady’, (Tara Battani) because the lines said so. Tara Battani tried far too much to be cute. She became cloying. Brenda Ballard as the senile Mrs. Mavis overdid. Lori Berg as Mrs. Tillman did succeeded in giving me some understanding of a self-serving woman gaining prestige by the achievement or failure of her protégé. Perhaps as the run continues the cast will find courage to explore further the dept of their characters.
In its 19th season, Actors Co-op operates two 99 seat theatres at the Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Currently its membership exceeds 40 professionals; it has produced over 60 main stage productions, over 26 second stage productions, received 125 Drama-Logue Awards, 29 LA Weekly Award nominations (six wins), 25 Theatre LA Ovation Award nominations, five Garland Awards and nine Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. Also Actors Co-op was honored with the 1996 Margaret Harford Award for “Sustained Achievement” in smaller theatres, as well as the 1996 Charlie Award for “Excellence in the Arts” by the Hollywood Arts Council.
ACTORS CO-OP Crossley Terrace Theatre
1760 No. Gower Street, Hollywood
(located on the grounds of Hollywood Presbyterian Church)
May 6, 2011 – June 12, 1011
Fridays and Saturdays 8 PM; Sundays 2:30 PM
Saturday matinees are May 14 and May 21 at 2:30 PM
$30, Seniors $25, Students $20