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This Day and Age (2006) >
Village Life|Amador Ledger Dispatch
This sophisticated comedy of modern manners deals with the "empty-nester's" greatest nightmare: the chickens coming home to roost. Family chaos ensues. The surprise "hit" of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's '95 season, this comedy addresses very real and current issues with crackling wit and sometimes controversial reflections on American society in "this day and age."
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Village Life
In Sutter Creek: a wry glimpse into an empty nest
By David Jacobson, Village Life
(10.26.06) With a fair share of zingers and some odd turns of character, "This
Day and Age" brings satisfying entertainment and a few keen insights to
Sutter Creek audiences, courtesy of Main Street Theatre Works. What's
particularly welcome is its perceptive treatment of today's older generation, mainly
through Marjorie, a widow besieged by adult children eager to impose on her.
Eschewing the usual stereotypes playwright Nagle Jackson takes an
honest look at a modern empty-nester. Shrewd and tough minded, she knows what
she wants and how best to wake up her immature progeny, who try to play the
guilt card to no effect. Under Vada Russell's strong direction, Sandra McCord
gives a masterful performance as Marjorie. Many actors rely on storming the
stage with expressive gestures, but McCord plays the whole first act in a
poolside lounge, commanding our attention with her voice and face alone.
First to arrive on her doorstep is daughter Ann (Bonnie Antonini) with
her boozy English husband Brian (Floyd Harden). Ann is barren, so
they've planned to adopt an infant and raise it in her childhood home. They're
followed shortly by son Tony (Eric Baldwin) and his Hawaiian wife Joy (Orlana
Klip), who also need a place to crash with their five children. Unhappy with his
job, Tony wants to return to the womb of his old home and regress to the life of
a carefree artist. The family home, in fact, has come to be called "the place." And
in the second act Marjorie acutely observes, "What we're dealing with
here is loss of place." This home is the symbolic center of the family (referred to
as the "F" word), where all are held by an invisible gravity.
The freshness and invention that the playwright gives Marjorie in the
first act doesn't extend to the others, who come off as two-dimensional
pawns, though the actors seem to give their best to the roles. The
limitations might work well enough in broad farce, but "This Day and Age" aims at
realistic comedy. We get more thoughtful and complex revelations in Act II, with the
appearance of "The Man" (William Powers), Marjorie's imaginary
embodiment of her late husband, who paddles into view from the swimming pool on flippers and
with a snorkel. Their wry, witty conversation is among the play's
highlights. It's a charming revelation of mature love transcending even death itself.
As the play builds to its conclusion Ann and Tony come to recognize
their own shortcomings, as does the sloshed Brian, an announcer whose sole
appeal on public radio is the snob value of his accent. Besides Marjorie the
only character completely at home in her skin is Joy, played by Klip with a
joyous whoop when she frolics in the pool. The salvation of everyone,
including Marjorie herself, is in finding the strength to break with the past, including
the illusory succor of home.A cute touch is Rosemary Clooney singing "Come On-A My house" to
open each act.
"This Day and Age" continues through November 18 at the Days Inn
Playhouse on Highway 49, at the north end of Sutter Creek. Performances are
Thursday, November 9, and Friday and Saturday through November 18. Dinner is
6:30 with show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $37.50. Sunday matinees continue through
November 5, with lunch at 12:30 and show at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28.
Ticket price includes an exceptional buffet dinner (lunch on Sundays),
featuring chicken and/or roast beef, salad, beverage and dessert. A
limited number of show-only tickets are also available. Though wine and other
alcoholic beverages are not sold, patrons may bring their own wine bottles.
Corkscrews and glasses are provided (no corkage fee, of course).
Charge by phone at (209) 267-5680, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call well
ahead for reservations because the intimate theater space sells out early.
E-mail jacobsondb@aol.com.
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Amador Ledger-Dispatch
MSTW ends 2006 season with 'This Day and Age'
By Brandi Ehlers, Amador Ledger-Dispatch
(10.18.06) Nagle Jackson's "This Day and Age" brings Main Street Theatre Works' 2006 season to a close. Having never been to a dinner theater, I was very impressed with the setting, the food and the entertainment.
"This Day and Age" deals with the "empty-nesters" worst nightmare: the chicks coming home to roost. Marjorie, played by Sandra McCord, a widow with two grown children and two grandchildren, has a dilemma on her hands. Both of her children want to move back home with their families.
Ann (Bonnie Antonini) and her husband Brian (Floyd Harden) want to adopt a child and keep their Manhattan lifestyles and jobs by moving in with Marjorie, who can watch and care for the child. Tony, played by Eric Baldwin, and his wife, Joy, played by Orlana Klip, want to move back home with their two children so that Tony can refresh his mind and find another job.
Marjorie is just fine on her own and has a completely different plan for herself. She is happy with her life and when Ann asked, "Who ever heard of anyone wanting to be all alone?" she answers, "Anyone who's tried it."
In the end she consults with her dead husband, Jack (William Powers) about what she should do.
The actors were all great by making the audience think that they really were a family and making you feel the good times and the bad. McCord was great. She was funny and completely relatable. Antonini did a great job with her uptight character and high maintenance lifestyle. Baldwin was good at making a fool of himself several times. Klip did well and was brave enough to be on stage in a swim suit.
My favorite character by far had to be Brian played by Harden. Harden truly showed his range as an actor, after seeing him as the barely understandable "The Jimmer" in "Escanaba in Da Moonlight" and then in "This Day and Age" with a full, believable British accent. His witty one-liners were delivered with ease.
Director Vada Russell did a great job with this play. There was great flow and understanding throughout the entire show. The set was fabulous and really looked like a back porch complete with a swimming pool on the side.
"This Day and Age" marks MSTW's second show in its new dinner theater venue, The Playhouse at the Sutter Creek Days Inn, a cozy setting with a good atmosphere. There is not a bad seat in the room, however I would advise getting there early enough to pick a seat facing the stage so you do not have to turn your chair before the performance begins.
The food was wonderfully prepared by Marie Mennell of Back Roads Coffee House in Sutter Creek. Dinner consisted of rice, green beans, chicken, beef, and carrots and potatoes. Dessert was the best part - a wonderful chocolate mouse. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own wine and MSTW will provide the glasses and corkscrews.
Tickets for "This Day and Age" are available through Lizzie Ann's/Bubblegum Books at 59 Main St., Sutter Creek, or can be charged by phone at 267-5680 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended as the dinner theater shows tend to sell out.
Performances are Friday and Saturday nights through Nov. 18. Tickets for dinner shows are $37.50. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. There will also be a performance Thursday, Nov. 9 and three Sunday lunch matinees Oct. 22, 29 and Nov. 5. Lunch matinee tickets are $28. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the show begins at 2 p.m.
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