Reviewed by Judy Richter
Playwright Edward Albee and the rest of the opening night
audience were treated to a splendid production of his "A Delicate
Balance" by
Aurora Theatre Company. Thanks to a pitch-perfect cast and artistic director Tom Ross' astute direction, this
production is absorbing and intriguing. Apparently it's a success at the box
office, too, for the company has extended it for another week, through Oct. 16.
Considered
a comedy of manners, this work rings as true today as it did when it was
written in 1966, when Albee was 38. The three acts take place over an autumn
weekend in a comfortable, upper-middle class home in New England. The home is
owned by Tobias (Ken Grantham), a businessman, and his wife, Agnes (Kimberly King). Living with them is Agnes's
sister, Claire (Jamie Jones), who denies that she's an alcoholic but freely
acknowledges that she's a drunk. Agnes doesn't approve of Claire's excessive
drinking, but Tobias obligingly serves his sister-in-law drinks from the bar in
the living room.
The
delicate balance that the three of them maintain is thrown off by the arrival
of the couple's longtime friends, Edna (Anne Darragh) and Harry (Charles Dean), who are fleeing from some
undefined terror in their own home. Yet another complication arises when Julia
(Carrie Paff),
the 36-year-old daughter of Agnes and Tobias, returns home after the collapse
of her fourth marriage. She's furious when she learns that Edna and Harry are
staying in her room. Moreover, it appears they plan to move in permanently.
During the ebb and flow of interactions, much background information about each
person and relationship is revealed or hinted at.
All
six actors are among the Bay Area's finest. King and Grantham, who are married,
were longtime stalwarts at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, along with Dean. In
addition, Grantham was one of the founders of the 20-year-old Aurora company.
King's
Agnes is the fulcrum of the play, helping to maintain the delicate balance that
allows everyone to keep going. Agnes realizes how important it is to maintain
that balance, for she apparently sees no other alternative. Grantham's Tobias
is a far more complex character than initially meets the eye. Claire, as
portrayed by Jones, is the keen observer and truth-teller. Darragh and Dean are
convincing in the fear that Edna and Harry feel, just as they are convinced
that Agnes and Tobias will take them in for the sake of friendship. Paff's
Julia is an emotional wreck, but she, too, is brought under control -- at least
nominally so -- by Agnes's steady determination to maintain the status quo of
her family and household.
With
a set by Richard Olmsted, lighting by Kurt Landisman, costumes by Callie Floor and sound by Chris Houston, this "A Delicate
Balance" is a theatrical treat for Aurora audiences.