by Kimberly Harper
There are several lessons you learn in life. Death and taxes. You can’t choose your family. Live life for today, because you can’t take it with you when you go. And, if you want to see a fantastic play that encompasses all three of these truths in the funniest way possible, get yourself to Pawtucket this weekend.
The Vanderhoff/Scyamore family is eclectic, to say the least. Grandpa Martin (Brian Mulvey) is the head of the house and randomly quit work in his 30s on a whim. It’s 1938 now and the family has only grown since then. Mother Penelope (Carol Varden) is a writer. Sort of. Elsie, the daughter (Leslie Racine Vazquez), is a die-hard dancer whose talent could only be improved by having two left feet. Her husband Ed (Ron Martin) mostly just grins enthusiastically. The maid and her boyfriend (Rachel Nadeau and Kevin Thibault) are their own circus, and Dad Paul (Bradford J. Greer) makes firecrackers in the basement along with some random guy (Mr. Depinna, played by Michael Anthony) who showed up at the house one day and never left. And then there’s Alice (Ashley Lopes) who loves her family dearly but has somehow been bypassed by the crazy gene. She’s caught the eye of a prominent man in her company (Tony, played by Daniel Martens) and fallen head over feet, but their worlds are very different. When the two families meet, it’s insanity. Oh, and the FBI gets involved, but that’s got nothing to do with the impending nuptials or the Russian royalty that stops by.
It’s a zany, wordy script that somehow manages not to be confusing, trite or stupid. And director Patricia Hawkridge has really lucked out because her cast makes each and every colorful character vibrant and entertaining. Hawkridge really mined the script to bring out every possible funny line and has kept the pace of the show brisk.
Many of the actors in the production are making their TCP debut with this show, or returning after a long absence, and it’s refreshing as always to see new faces in a company. Lopes, for instance, is a wonderful Alice. Her comic timing is on point always, and her love for her family shines through even in moments of extreme exasperation. Marc Tiberiis plays the loud and critical Russian dance instructor Kolenkhov. He embodies a strong flair for the dramatic which works well for a character whose signature line is “[that] stinks!”
But there are plenty of familiar names in this production too. Mulvey, who has been in numerous TCP shows and directed his fair share too, gives an understated and nuanced performance as Grandpa. It might be one of my favorite things I’ve seen him in. Varden is equally funny as Penelope, delivering off-color one liners in a deadpan that you can’t help but enjoy. And Laura Benjamin makes a brief but unforgettable appearance as the brash and inappropriate lush Gay Wellington. Vazquez as Essie is also quite funny. Watching her fumble and flail across the stage in toe shoes is even funnier when you remember that Vazquez is normally an excellent dancer in her own right.
TCP is hitting it out of the park with straight shows this season. The costumes for this show (designed by Freya Hanley) are perfect and the set, also designed by Mulvey, is eclectic and cluttered without being overwhelming. Everything about this show is a win, and you’d be well served to spend some time visiting the Vanderhoffs this weekend.
“You Can’t Take It With You” runs through Sunday, July 16, at Jenks Auditorium, 350 Division St., Pawtucket. Tickets may be obtained online at www.thecommunityplayers.net or by calling the reservation line at 401.726.6860.
