Reviewed by Judy Richter
Playwright Rebecca Gilman and director Amy Glazer have an affinity for San
Francisco's Magic Theatre, which has now staged the world premiere of four of
Gilman's plays directed by Glazer. The latest entry is "The Crowd
You're In With,"
which looks at relationships and social pressures.
Running
just under 90 minutes with no intermission, the play is set in a Chicago
backyard on the Fourth of July during President George W. Bush's second term,
for there are references to the Iraq war and other current events. Jasper (T.
Edward Webster)
and Melinda (Makela Spielman), a married couple in their 30s, are hosting another
couple, Dan (Kevin Rolston) and Windsong (Allison Jean White), for a barbecue before going to
the fireworks along Lake Michigan. Windsong, who is pregnant, and Melinda are
longtime friends. They're soon joined by Jasper and Melinda's landlords, Karen
(Lorri Holt)
and Tom (Charles Shaw Robinson), an older couple who live upstairs The group is finally
completed by the late arrival of Dan's friend Dwight (Chris Yule).
During
the course of the play, much of the conversation concerns children --
particularly whether or not to have them. Jasper and Melinda have been trying
for pregnancy for several months with no success. Tom and Karen -- despite
repeated questioning -- defend their decision to be childless. Jasper
ultimately realizes that he doesn't want children despite Melinda's fervent
desire to become a mother.
Gilman,
Glazer and the actors skillfully develop the characters, showing them to be
deeper than our first impressions of them. For example, Dan, a pop music critic
for the Chicago Tribune, seems stuck in some kind of arrested development, and
he's not very bright, yet he's sincere in his love for Windsong and his dreams
for their unborn daughter. Dwight, a rock musician and waiter, comes across as
a boor, yet he has a hilarious speech about what happens when people bring
young children to the restaurant. Jasper's ambiguity about becoming a father
becomes clearer to him, thanks in large part to a late scene with just him, Tom
and Karen, who talk about their longtime relationship, their deep love for each
other and their deliberate decision to remain childless.
The
action takes place on Erik Flatmo's backyard set, aided by Kurt Landisman's light design, which shows the
fading of daylight as the sun goes down. Meg Neville's costumes are well suited to
the characters, and Sara Huddleston's sound design contributes to the ambience.
Gilman
sprinkles her script with some one-liners that veer toward sitcom, but overall
she examines a serious, deeply personal subject, presenting all sides of the
issue fairly. Kudos, too, to the cast, especially Holt, Robinson and Webster,
who have the most interesting roles.
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