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The Royal Family
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Mulgrew, Hamilton, Seldes
Photo by Craig Schwartz
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By Melinda Schupmann
If you are over forty, this feels like a play—the sumptuous staging, larger than life characters, and elegance that bespeaks a time when the stage was meant to be a place to take you out of the humdrum and into a more glamorous world. If you are younger, then you’re lucky to catch a glimpse of it while companies are willing to invest to achieve the look. It seems fitting that in Artistic Producer/Director Gordon Davidson’s final season in a long and distinguished career he has chosen to revisit George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber’s 1927 witty story of the Cavendishes, a “royal family” of the theater. Though the authors denied it, it was purported to be about the Drew-Barrymores, that theatrical grand family, whose escapades on and off the stage were legendary.
It opens with the requisite stock characters of the times—Della (Ellia English), the indispensable, jolly maid whose pleasure it is to take care of her theater stars, and Jo (Alan Mandell), the harried family retainer, who fields all the excesses thrown his way.
Into an elegant apartment gather the family—matriarch Fanny (Marian Seldes), daughter Julie (Kate Mulgrew), and granddaughter Gwen (Melinda Page Hamilton). Adding to the mix are Herbert and Kitty Dean (Charles Kimbrough, Barbara Dirickson), a couple whose shirt-tail relationship may have helped their acting careers at one point but who are not above a small loan and some largess on the family’s part at this point in the story. Then there’s Oscar Wolfe (George S. Irving), longtime agent and friend, who shamelessly connives to keep the stars on the stage in spite of the intrusion of their personal lives. Both Gwen and Julie have well-connected men on the string, (Robert L. Devaney and Richard Cox), whose allure is to distance themselves from the theater and live real lives, but, of course, they can’t really see doing that. To quote Fanny, “Marriage is not an institution; it’s an incident.”
As time passes and the characters have time to languish, artfully drape themselves about on various chairs and couches, and espouse the thrills of the stage, Julie’s brother Anthony (Daniel Gerroll) explodes on the scene with an entourage, hinting of his glamorous affairs—a fistfight with a director, a failed romance, and fabulous debts that everyone seems to expect him to manage.
The magnetism that attracts us to glamour fuels this production. Director Tom Moore’s loving hands create all the trappings necessary to make the revival a success. His vision encompasses those larger-than-life moments on the stage, and he has certainly created a cohesive ensemble.
The acting is splendid all around. Seldes is languidly imposing as the matriarch, Mulgrew is reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn in her Stage Door days, and Hamilton is a vivacious ingénue. Kimbrough shines as the long-in-the-tooth leading man, sporting a patent-leather toupee, exhibiting the pomposity so well-suited to the role. Gerroll is fabulous—boyish, extravagant, witty. He captures the leading-man, Hollywood movie star stereotype of the 20s beautifully, and he adds great humor to all of his scenes. English’s homage to Hattie McDaniel is terrific, and Irving enlivens the part so often played of the mensch with a heart of gold.
Not to be left out are Puck, Cyrano, Hotspur, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, played with remarkable aplomb by Buddy, Buster, Barney, Harlem and Samson—a splendid group of canines with amiable, scene-stealing charm . Chief animal handler William Berloni, aided by Tammy Karecki, and Stuart Galbraith, are unsung heroes for the special touch that the dogs bring to each scene, whether galloping down the grand staircase and skittering into the drawing room or staying patiently alert for their next cues
Also adding considerable theatrical ambience were the other cast members. McDermott, the fencing instructor, was humorously played by Bobby C. King. Gerroll and King’s fencing scene was grand fun. Filling in with other small but important roles were Charlie Kimball, S. Marc Jordan, Bill Ferrell, Arthur Hanket, Aflamu, and Eve Roberts. As understudies for the cast, it should be noted that they add a solid backbone to the production.
Notable, of course, are the technical aspects of the show. Lighting by Duane Schuler adds a special glow to Douglas W. Schmidt’s gorgeous set. Jon Gottlieb’s sound design exhibits the excellence one expects of his work. Robert Blackman’s costumes and Carol F. Doran’s hair and wigs are elegant reminders of the fabulous twenties.
This revival of Kaufman and Ferber’s hit is a pleasure, both for its style and for its tribute to theater and actors who live to perform. As the curtain rises, there is an audible gasp from the opening night audience in appreciation of the striking set, and the pleasure continues as the story unfolds. Though the story is slight and there are no lingering truths lurking beyond the final curtain, it is really a grand spectacle. One can savor the pleasure of watching a notable cast deliver the goods.
The Royal Family, presented by the Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles. (213) 628-2772. Online at www.TaperAhmanson.com. Tuesday-Friday at 8 PM; Sunday at 7:30 PM; Saturday at 2 & 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $30-65. Special performances are Thursdays at 2 (April 29 and May 6 & 13.) Tickets for these performances are $20, $35, and $60. Final performance is Sunday, May 16 at 2.
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