Southern Comforts
by Kathleen Clark
directed by Jules Aaron
ICT, Long Beach
through April 10
Playwright Kathleen Clark has fashioned a very sweet play Southern Comforts about two aging people, both widowed, who decide to tie the knot for the second time, with each other. Now onstage @ ICT, Long Beach it boasts fine direction from Jules Aaron and two superlative performances from Michael Learned and Granville Van Dusen.
We've seen Gus (Van Dusen) and Amanda (Learned) many times over on stage, film and in real life. They're a typical aunt and uncle, grandparents or the couple next door. He's a curmudgeon, unwilling to share his private thoughts, beliefs and opinions and she, a warm and thoroughly outgoing charmer, who enjoys a party or two. Opposites attract, or so we're told, but do they make a successful pairing as far as marriage is concerned? Is one willing to give up his independence for the other's happiness? Is he willing to forget promises from the past and live for now? These are the issues Clark examines with great detail in Southern Comforts. There's a lot of humor, emanating directly from character and more than adequate substance that seniors can relate to. Its only drawback may be, as in a TV sitcom, its ultimate predictability or too compromised ending.
Seasoned pros Learned and Van Dusen are a joy to watch, especially Learned whose cute, unpredictable spark of humor and irritation brighten every moment she's on stage. Like an Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond, she not only supports her husband but bends him lovingly to her will, to make the association that much more positive and uplifitng. Van Dusen plays the grump to the hilt, but offers a fine transition of hope when he conforms to his partner's requests. Aaron's direction is fast paced, light and totally effective.
Set by Kurt Boetcher is big, open and realistic for an old East coast homestead and Kim DeShazo's costumes are lovely, especially the orange and red dresses for Learned. She looks stunning in all of them. There's some delightful incidental music by Max Kinberg to accompany set changes immediately prior to the start of Act II. You may want to return from intermission a few minutes early to watch the fun.
Southern Comforts is an old-fashioned, easy-going, lightweight play with food for thought that never gets too burdensome. Its two stars shine brightly and it should please those theatregoers with few expectations. Those that like more meat on their plate will just have to wait for another revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
