The Friendly Hour
For those who grew up in a small town, the dynamics of Tom Jacobson’s new play, The Friendly Hour, is immediately recognizable. Those with an urban background will get a glimpse of what they perhaps crafted out of their own shifting allegiances over the years. But no one will come away from this play without a notion of the redeeming value of loyal friendships.
The all-women cast traverses some 70 odd years from their young adulthood in 1934 to old age with admirable skill. Adapted from the minutes of a real women’s club in Beresford, a South Dakota farm town, the play centers on a rivalry between forward-thinking Dorcas (Ann Noble) and continually pregnant Effie (Kate Mines). They are surrounded by the practical Opal (Deana Barone), Wava, who never married (Mara Marini), and in revolving roles, the versatile Bettina Zacar. A slight and gentle play, The Friendly Hour couldn’t hold together as well as it does without the actress’s well-honed and individualistic accents (coached by Linda DeVries).
The group establishes a formal structure for their coffee klatches, naming their meetings “The Friendly Hour” with dues of one thin dime. In the depression era even that reasonable sum was hard to come by. But over the years, that sum increases. Their coffers are never very full – donations for burnt down barns, new babies and other plights of the townspeople take up the money they collect. The ladies all have expertise with birdcalls, amusing each other (and the audience) with the cacophony of sounds. The highlight of each meeting, however, is that a “lovely lunch was served.” This oft-repeated line guarantees that we will certainly notice on a day of strife when only “a lunch was served.”
The tension between Effie and Dorcas comes to a head as both become entrenched in their own positions, and, briefly, the Friendly Hour is split it two. Their rivalry spills over to the other women who must take sides or mask the fact that they are attending two functions every week. Audiences will find that the healing of the rift is instructive.
Road Theatre Company personnel have created a simple yet serviceable environment upon which to symbolize multiple locations. The rough-hewn unit set (designed by Desma Murphy) contains very ingenious nooks and crannies to squirrel away various needed props (by Sarah Moretz). Lighting by Derrick McDaniel creates the right ambience whether on a field trip to the library, outdoors or in a succession of homes. Costume changes, especially for multiple roles essayed by Ms. Zacar, must be simple yet descriptive, and Lisa D. Burke’s choices fill the bill. Music and sound by Christopher Moscatiello pull together all elements.
Playwright Tom Jacobson has shared his family relationship to this otherwise ordinary gathering to lovingly evoke the mood and tone found in the life-long connections between the women. He brings pathos, humor and grit to bear as the women traverse such key issues of the 20th century as women’s liberation, abortion and homosexuality. The result is a play that is destined to have a long life onstage.
The Road Theatre Company’s The Friendly Hour performs at the Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm through November 1st. All seats, $25.00. Phone (866) 811-4111 or online at www.roadtheatre.org