It’s 1936 and Americans are still struggling through the Depression, with hundreds of thousands of men “on relief” because they can’t find jobs, bread lines around the block, and those “with” doing what they can to help family and friends who may be “without.”
The Vanderhof-Sycamore-Carmichael family is an extended one, with grandfather, daughter and son-in-law, and granddaughters and a grandson-in-law all under one roof, as well as a maid, boyfriend of said maid, who is “on relief,” and a handyman who used to be their milkman.
They are an eccentric, creative, and happy family. They may eat cereal for dinner on a regular basis but it’s not because they’re poor, but because they’ve got better things to do than spend time on meals – like make fireworks in the basement or write – or at least begin to write – plays.
Alice Sycamore (Lindsey Ryan) is the one “normal” member of her family. She’s a secretary and has fallen in love with Tony Kirby (Christian Ray), the son of her employer, Mr. Kirby (Coleman Zeigan).
Fortunately, Tony is in love with her, too. He suggests that Alice invite him and his parents (played by Betty Hart and Zeigan) to dinner at Alice’s house to meet her family. Alice agrees, reluctantly, and on condition that it be on a specific night so she can put her family be on their best behavior.
Unfortunately, Tony brings his parents to dinner a day early, and chaos ensues.
There’s trouble brewing between Mrs. Kirby (Betty Hart, left) and Mr. Kirby (Coleman Zeigan, in tux), thanks to a word association game (Photo credit: Colorado Shakespeare Theatre)
You Can’t Take It With You, by the famous writing team of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, made its debut in 1936, and was an immediate hit. Theatre goers, tired of the bleakness of the Depression, were happy to lose themselves in the easy-going and happy world of the Vanderhof-Sycamore-Carmichael clan.
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival mounts the play perfectly – with a “busy” set design that evokes the many, many hobbies of the clan and gives plenty of room for ballet dancing – albeit bad ballet dancing – and a bit of wrestling.
The cast has a lot of fun with the material and the audience has a lot of fun embracing the world of the play. Laughs are constant, both at perfectly delivered one-liners and at the overall hilarity of the play.
The play also has the potential for some extra resonance and enjoyment among the audience members – specifically those who had previously seen Richard III.
All of the cast members of You Can’t Take It With You (except two of the female roles) also appear in Richard III – a dark, grim play that contrasts starkly with the light-hearted comedy of You Can’t Take It With You. This gives the actors a chance to show their range to appreciative audience members.
The two young lovers are played by Lindsay Ryan (Alice) and Christian Ray (Tony).
Ray plays several small roles, without a lot of lines, in Richard III. He gets a lot more lines as Tony and is charming as a young man in love.
Lindsay Ryan’s two roles couldn’t be more different. In Richard III (which began performances in June) she plays Ann, the grief-stricken widow of Edward, son of Henry VI, whose own corpse she is mourning at the beginning of the play. She’s subdued, frightened, ultimately seduced against her will by the charming but evil Richard, and ultimately doomed to “bid this world good night.”
Contrast that to her role as Alice, the self-confident and vivacious young woman who loves her family but fears that they will not fit in with the strait-laced wealthy Kirbys. Alice may be the “normal” member of the family, but she’s likeable and has personality, and Ryan is not overshadowed by the more eccentric family members with whom she shares the stage. It’s also fun to see her glare daggers at Boris Kolenkhov, the ballet teacher, after he challenges Mr. Kirby to a wrestling match and throws him to the floor.
Kolenkhov (Rodney Lizcano) shrinks back from her glare, intimidated. Funny in itself, there is an extra layer of amusement for those audience members who know that in Richard III, Lizcano plays Richard – the power-mad villain who intimidates, bullies and controls practically everyone on the stage with him, including Ann.
Essie Carmichael and her ballet teacher, Boris Kolenkhov (Chloe McLeod and Rodney Lizcano) (Photo credit: Colorado Shakespeare Theatre)
Kolenkhov, the jovial, charming Russian refugee has been trying to teach Alice’s sister, Essie, how to dance ballet. For eight years.
Alice’s mother, Penelope, is played by Leslie O’Carroll. In Richard III she plays the aged Duchess of York, Richard III’s mother – weary and sad after seeing two sons die at the hands of their brother. As Penelope, O’Carroll displays a joie de vivre and a fine sense of comic timing.
Sean Scrutchins plays Buckingham in Richard III, the confidant and King Maker to Richard, who finds out too late that he doesn’t know the man as well as he thought. In You Can’t Take It With You he has a single scene, but it’s a hilarious one as Mr. Henderson, the man from the Internal Revenue Service who wants to know my Martin Vanderhof (aka Grandpa) hasn’t paid his income taxes since its inception in 1914.
In Richard III, Sam Gregory plays the no-nonsense soldier Hastings, ordered beheaded by Richard. In You Can’t Take It With You, he is a happy, whimsical, witty grandfather who ends up saving the day.
These contrasts could be continued for the rest of this cast as well, all who are likeable in their roles.
Of the two actresses who are performing only in You Can’t Take It With You, Chloe McLeod plays the ballet dance-loving and candy-making Essie Carmichael with an endearing ditziness. Mare Trevathan has a small, scene-stealing role as Gay Wellington, an actress who has drunk too much.
Alice’s mother intends to paint their lodger, Mr. De. Penna, as the Discus Thrower. (Photo credit: Colorado Shakespeare Theatre)
You Can’t Take It With You is a practically perfect production, with an ensemble cast that has perfect timing and play against each other well. Whether you choose to see Richard III as well so you can compare and contrast performances, or if only comedy is your cup of tea, you will surely enjoy this production.
All’s well that ends well. (Photo credit: Colorado Shakespeare Theatre)
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