Yes, Phoenix, there is worthwhile, deep, and timeless Neil Simon. The Scottsdale Community Players' production of his 1991 Pulitzer Prize-winning script of Lost In Yonkers is proof that there's more to the playwright than repetitious one-liners and dated situations. This script, along with his Double-B trilogy (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Broadway Bound) is the culmination of the playwright's prodigious career, and should be presented more often than The Odd Couple-Female Version. Please. The plays written by Simon during this period are a great mix of his clever sense of humor and the old adage of writing what you know. Director Robyn Allen, herself an alum of a production of this show when produced six years ago at Theater Works, uses her skills and experience to create an enjoyable presentation of this work. She gets most of the cast to sound like a family of New Yorkers, and paces it with subtlety depending on who controls the scene.
Early in World War II, a German-Jewish family living in America deals with gangsters, loansharks, and the infinitely more frightening Grandma Kurnitz. Exiled to Grandma's house are two early-teenaged brothers, Jay and Arty, whose father is leaving them to cash in on the war and pay off debts incurred during his wife's long, fatal illness. Pressed by her son and her more-than-just-slightly-flighty daughter Bella, Grandma takes them in, establishing a ten-month situation that draws the family to the brink of disaster and irrevocably changes them.
The highlight of this production is undoubtedly Barbara McGrath, who offers the best performance I've seen from her. McGrath gives us an icy, imposing Grandma, and her resolve is palpable as she shuffles through the house with a rigid back and a perfect German accent that turns all statements into commands. You can't help but be intimidated until the icy exterior cracks for a brief time and she temporarily melts into long withheld tears. This is a star turn that is worth the price of admission alone. She is backed up by several other credible performances, notably Jonathan Givens as shady Uncle Louie, and Angelica Frost as scattered Aunt Bella. Givens is perfect as a New York hoodlum. His explosiveness is felt both in his angry outbursts and his sudden gales of biting laughter. Frost is loveable as she attempts to establish her own identity among a family of strong wills. Her accent is dead-on, and she has a sweetness that only fails her when she needs to reveal some secrets to her mother that don't ring true.
It is supposed to be the two youths who propel the show, but Justin Brooks and Cory Kotas don't quite succeed. Brooks does not play older Jay strong enough. He doesn't seem to be made of the same stock as those colorful characters around him. His voice is a touch softer, and he rarely commits to the scene, save for the moment of truth between Jay and Uncle Louie. Kotas is better, as Arty is younger and does not have the load on his shoulders of Brooks. He succeeds at presenting his character arc, becoming stronger as he moves from scared youngster to the beginnings of a smart aleck.
While Candice Krstulja is quite enjoyable in her cameo as the third wounded child of Grandma Kurnitz, Ken Milder is a no-show as Jay and Arty's dad, Eddie. Milder's voice wavers, and he shows little stage presence in either of his two scenes, though he does manage to peg it right in the moment when he stands up to his mother.
There are no problems with the technical element of the show. Mike Brooks' set is very realistically imagined, and complemented by Scott Campbell's lighting. Paul Wilson's costumes are very authentic, while Scott Kirkorsky's sound design is flawless. Kudos go also to Julie Cotton's period properties, and Tom Connick's hair and makeup.
In the years since I first saw this production, I have grown to appreciate Simon's creation. My estimation has been boosted by this enjoyable offering, which, while not flawless, does a great job of being both charming and thought provoking.
Production Details:
Lost In Yonkers by Neil Simon
Scottsdale Community
Players
Stagebrush Theatre, Scottsdale (For a
map to location, click this
link)
(480) 990-7405
November 30th - December 16th, 2001