Our Town
Why would an activist theatre company want to do a production of Our Town, a scholastic staple since its Broadway debut in 1938? Aside from the obvious parallels in that date with our present financial upheaval, the play offers no panacea for our current problems; in fact, it is relentlessly nostalgic. But instead of asking a member of the company, I decided to try to determine the reason from the production itself.
The great appeal of this play over the last 70 years has been its construction. Originally avant-garde, playwright Thornton Wilder eschewed the traditional climactic structure in favor of a narrative variation between description and scenes. The play was set on a bare stage, with only a few chairs to provide a semblance of reality. Today his playwrighting technique has become more commonplace and minimalist settings are often the norm. Actors Gang’s rendition is no exception. Their production design is spare, efficient yet stylistic, accenting the theatricality of the play with touches of the music hall (I’m thinking of the footlights).
Set at the turn of the last century, in the years 1910 to 1913, the gentle action depicts the everyday events of a New England small town: the growing up and courtship of young Emily Webb (Vanessa Mizzone) and George Gibbs (Chris Schultz), their marriage and finally Emily’s death in childbirth. Aside from the immediate family (company members Lindsley Allen, Annemette Andersen, Seth Compton, Andrew E. Wheeler and Nathan Kornelis), we are introduced to the denizens of the town, notably Simon Stimson (Brian Kimmet), the town drunk; Howie Newsome (Pierre Adeli), the newspaper boy; Mrs. Soames (April Fitzsimmons), the town gossip and others. These folk are presided over by the stage manager (the company heavy hitter, Stephen M. Porter) as the omniscient narrator. All utilize the slightly heightened style of acting that Actors Gang is noted for.
Where the Gang’s production shines is in subtle touches that embellish the simple story. The hand-made sound effects that set the scene in act one are riveting; the famous speech where George’s sister, Rebecca (Katie Malia) recites the address of Grover’s Corners as “the mind of God” is performed as she is hanging upside down, twisted between two streamers; while the last act offers a grave yard in which the dead are suspended above ground on swings, an apt image that contrasts with the earthbound living.
Crisply directed by Justin Zsebe, handsomely designed by Will Pellegrini with lighting by Jacqueline Reid and costumes by Suzanne Scott, the Actors Gang’s rendition of Our Town delivers this classic with meticulous care. It remains for each audience member to ponder the reason why.
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Theater: Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City 90232
Web Site: http://www.theactorsgang.com/
Tickets: (310) 838-GANG
Dates: Through June 6, 2009