THEATRE REVIEW:
KPBS AIRDATE: December 08, 2006
Ahhh… the classics. When heroes were admirable men
with values and principles…. played by admirable actors like Henry Fonda and
Jimmy Stewart. No trace of irony, sarcasm or cynicism. Just good stories and
raw emotion. Well, those days are back, on San Diego stages. Ion Theatre is
presenting a searing version of “The Grapes of Wrath” and Cygnet Theatre has
lovingly re-created “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a Live Radio Play.
No holiday season is complete without at least one
viewing of the unforgettable Frank Capra film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In
1946, the same year the movie was released, the tear-jerking drama was
performed live for the Lux Radio Theatre. An adaptation of that production, Lux
soap ads and all, was created ten years ago by playwright Joe Landry.
At Cygnet Theatre, an outstanding singing-acting
ensemble of eight plays myriad roles, bringing new meaning and fantastic new
sound to the heartwarming story of good will and good cheer in the face of
adversity. Tom Andrew is terrific as George Bailey, the small-town guy who,
thanks to his guardian angel, learns about self-worth and the really important
things in life. Best of show, though, is watching the marvelously talented
Scott Paulson, create all the sound effects – and play several instruments, to
boot. You can close your eyes and hear just how perfectly a squeaky ice cream
scoop mimics the chirping of crickets, or you can watch the talent unfold in
drama and song. It’s a wonderful night.
On the not-so-happy-ending side, there’s “The
Grapes of Wrath,” the novel by Nobel Prize-winner John Steinbeck that concerns
poverty, dashed hopes and Dust Bowl migration. Written in 1939 and set during
the Great Depression, it’s an epic story of Oklahoma sharecroppers driven from
their home by drought and destitution, setting out for California in search of
land, jobs and dignity. Brilliantly adapted by Steppenwolf Theatre’s Frank
Galati, the story is both timeless and timely, using one iconic family to
underscore the need for cooperative, as opposed to independent,
solutions to social problems. These days, the lesson applies on the microcosmic
as well as the macrocosmic level.
Ion Theatre’s founder,
artistic director and scenic designer Claudio Raygoza has mounted an epic
production, with a capable cast of 25 playing multiple roles. Standing
powerfully at the center are Andrew Kennedy as the ethical, principled Tom
Joad, Dana Hooley as his rock-solid mother and Matt Scott as a disillusioned
preacher. It’s a heartfelt, gut-wrenching production, with all the dust and
disaffection we read about every day in reference to immigrants, migrant
workers, labor practices, cultural bias and human rights.
Don’t forget to put both these inspiring shows
on your holiday To-Do list.
©2006 Patté Productions
Inc.