by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
Players by the Sea opened Tad Mosel’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, All The Way Home, last weekend for run that goes through February 24th. It was adapted from James Agee’s Pulitzer winning novel, Death in the Family.
The play is set in Knoxville in l915 and tells the tragedy that befalls the loving family of May and Jay Follet. An auto accident claims the life of the former hard drinker and hell raising Jay. It is up to the grieving May to tell 8 year old son Rufus that his father is dead, as well as dealing with other members of this family.
Most of the action takes place in the Follet home, that very much reflects the early 1900 hundreds. The set designed by Anne Roberts and Director George Ballis, has two levels, the downstairs living room and kitchen and two bedrooms stairs. The portion between the stage and the audience, works as the great outdoors, and briefly as a graveyard. A real antique icebox and old phone give a truly realistic look at the times. Ryan Maloney provided some evocative lighting and sound effects.
Costumers Holly Gutshall and Lee Hamby searched long and hard to find dresses and suits to complete the visual picture. I especially like the knickers on the boys.
Cee Cee Hayes has taken giant steps in acting since I first saw her in King Lear several years ago at UNF. Her performance as Mary is heart wrenching and compelling.
Paul Rowe, a former president of Players, and long time actor, is very effective at portraying the tenderness as well as the turmoil in Jay’s life. Rowe’s biography in the program failed to mention what I consider his finest role. He was outstanding as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.
As Rufus, the Follet’s son, fourth-grader Cooper Gleb is a standout. He projects well, and has an amazing grasp of the material he is talking about which is the death of his father.
Mary and Jay’s respective families are certainly colorful dysfunctional types. Jay’s brother Ralph (Jason Collins) is a brother in law from hell as an alcoholic mortician with no social skills at all. Mary’s father Joel (Roger Lowe) has given Jay a position at his law office. Catherine, Mary’s mother played by Gayle Featheringill is almost deaf and uses an earhorn. She provides some of the humor in this play.
Mary’s Aunt Hannah, features Amy Allen Farmer, who is usually in musicals. As Hannah she dresses to the 9s and don’t worry, you will get to hear her sing, as Director Ballis has her sing “Amazing Grace” at the funeral.
As the grandparents, John and Jessie Follet, Charlie White and Annette Page are quite good and contribute some much-needed humor at times.
Great-Great Grand maw (Mary Isabel Hamilton) and Aunt Sadie (Heather Goodling) made a brief appearance at a short family reunion.
Mary’s brother (Troy Lukkarila) has his big dramatic moment when he has the thankless job of reporting the death to the family gathering.
Rounding out the cast are the children played by Chris Fox, Jacob Goodling, Charlie Hafer, Lucie Roberts and Sam Trotter.
I have commented extensively about Director George Ballis’ resume in previous reviews. If Jacksonville ever starts a Theatre Hall of Fame, Ballis should be the first inductee.
If you have seen the plays Ballis has directed in recent years (All of My Sons, The Philadelphia Story, A Delicate Balance) you may have noticed that a number of the same actors keep coming back to work for George. They could go to New York and spend a lot of money on acting classes but why would they when they have the consummate teacher and director in Mr. Ballis. My guess is that George Ballis’ motto is “little things mean a lot.”(Like the right gesture, voice inflection, stage movement etc,etc.) No with Ballis, little things mean EVERYTHING.
Don’t miss this play, it is a superb production. Warning tissues are not provided, bring you own.
Call Players at 249 2022 for reservations or visit their fine website at www.playersbythesea.org.
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