Neil Simon’s classic Brighton Beach Memoirs is an eloquent peek into the family life of somebody else.
Every member of the audience can relate to the story on some level, as apparent by rapt expressions, laughter and a continued ovation well after the actors had left the stage.
Having grown up in a volatile household during the Depression, playwright Neil Simon is known for his angst and semi-autobiographical works that may have been therapeutic for him, while also garnering him major awards for their brilliance.
The actors in this Drayton Entertainment production were so on point that it seemed like two hours were swallowed up in time.
Set in 1937 in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, New York, this dramatic comedy unfolds with narration by 15-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome. His hardworking Jewish family is of limited means, with extended family sharing their home.
There is discord and crisis, though tempered by love. Each family member is affected by hard times and the impending war.
The Drayton Festival Theatre set appears as a cross section of the entire house, allowing simultaneous views of the action in each room with a spotlight indicating where the audience should shift their focus.
Sometimes providing foreshadows, the perspective offered an insightful glimpse into personal spaces.
Perhaps the dialogue in the room at the top of the stairs shared by two brothers is the most revealing.
Hailing from New Brunswick, actor Thomas Duplessie makes his Drayton Entertainment debut as Eugene, the coming of age role that made Matthew Broderick famous. He is all about baseball and the mystery of girls, but is also his mother’s go-to person in the blame game. He retreats into writing, his intended career. Duplessie is a believably innocent and empathetic character, brimming with youthful enthusiasm.
Another first time Drayton Entertainment actor, Alex Furber, plays Stanley, Eugene’s older brother. His role is multi-dimensional and he is appealing as the more mature son and strongly convincing as the burdened man.
There is much ado about Stanley’s $17 per week salary, one of the few times the audience remembers the timeline. Furber previously headlined in the Toronto production of War Horse in 2013.
Victor A. Young plays Jake Jerome, the salt of the earth father, overworked with two jobs, all for his family. Young is totally authentic as a loving parent, principled and fair.
The audience is able to tune in to Jake’s impending health crisis. Young has appeared in numerous Drayton Entertainment productions including Spamalot and Sleuth and has a long list of film and television roles to his credit (Murdoch Mysteries and For Love and Honour to name a few).
Gabrielle Jones plays the martyr mother with precision, her tight face and jabbing mannerisms forecasting an eruption. When the explosive episode does eventually come, it is with a realism that shocks the audience. Jones is memorable from her role as Alice in Sexy Laundry.
Playing the part of Eugene’s timid widowed Aunt Blanche is Susie Burnett. Her tenuous position in the household captures the compassion of the audience. Her reaction to her sister’s freak out is palatable. Burnett has appeared in several Drayton Entertainment productions, such as Run for your Wife and On Golden Pond.
Ellen Denny plays Nora, easily conveying the displaced niece with thwarted dreams, residing in cramped quarters at a fragile time of life. Though Denny is new to Drayton Entertainment, she has an impressive list of theatre credits across the country.
Not new to Drayton Entertainment, at eleven years old, is Anna Bartlam. She plays the younger niece with confidence, charm and a little bit of crafty wit as required. Bartlam played Susan Waverly in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and Amaryllis in The Music Man last season.
Director Marti Maraden has hit the mark with her interpretation. Other plays under her direction with Drayton Entertainment include The Odd Couple (also by Neil Simon) Looking, Death Trap, and Tuesdays with Morrie.
Set designer Stephen Degenstein has created a remarkable stage that reflects the era well.
Drayton Entertainment presented Brighton Beach Memoirs in its inaugural 1991 season. The play is the first in Neil Simon’s Eugene Jerome trilogy (which includes Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound).
Playing until July 2 at Drayton Festival Theatre, tickets may be purchased online at www.draytonentertainment.com, in person at any Drayton Entertainment box office, or by calling toll free 1-855-372-9866.
