Monday, August 18, 1997
THEATER:
Tennessee Williams’ play sets nature as background
to themes of youth, fame, loveBy Nerissa Pacio
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The sounds of birds chirping, wind blowing and trees rustling
was loud and clear on stage. At first guess, it sounds as if an
incredible sound system is meant to bring out the realism of
authentic nature sounds, all in an effort to enhance the play. That
is, until it becomes apparent that the scene is supposed to be a
seedy motel room.
At the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum outdoor theater, where
Tennessee Williams’ "Sweet Bird of Youth" runs through Sept. 13,
the melodious sounds of nature become part of each and every scene,
even if it is the inside of a motel room. But at least the faint
chirping and twittering behind the actors’ voices seem fitting for
this appropriately titled play.
After getting past the hard wooden amphitheater-esque seats and
the constant worry that a bare-chested Chance Wayne (Richard Tyson)
and a gauzy-gowned Alexandra Del Lago (Ellen Geer) might just catch
a cold in the brusque summer evening, an experience at the Will
Geer Theater becomes as refreshing as a whiff of starry night air.
Tyson and Geer’s performances as the often inebriated and
bleary-eyed substance abusers who wallow in their own self-pity
make it especially easy to sit back, relax and be glad that you
aren’t a party to their desperate ways.
Twittering between the classic themes of age versus youth, love
versus hate and good versus evil, "Sweet Bird of Youth" is a tale
of a young, attractive playboy searching for his true place and
true love in life.
After wasting his prime years, Chance returns to his home town
to seek out his soulmate, Heavenly (Susan Angelo), the daughter of
the bigoted politician Boss Finley (Thad Geer). A desperate Chance
grabs at anything to secure a successful return home to prove his
worth, including an unsophisticated plan to blackmail Alexandra Del
Lago, a vigorous yet aging movie star. Chance plans to stop at
nothing to secure a movie contract and a metaphorical star on his
dressing room door. However, Boss Finley’s clan presents the
antagonistic forces that eventually bring Chance down.
The appropriately cast Tyson and Ellen Geer play the fallen
protagonists in a fittingly dramatic way. Full of anguished,
angst-ridden expressions to create a longing and driven Chance
Wayne, Tyson bellows his confident lines and ending cries to a
believing audience. Tyson is polished, blond and buffed for the
part of a lost loverboy seeking the fame, fortune and love he never
had.
Ellen Geer also delivers a commendable Alexandra, the wrinkled,
pretentious movie queen. With a gruff Hollywood voice and a swagger
in her tenured walk, Geer reveals a long-time jaded woman of the
biz who cohorts with Chance to get a piece of his youth in order to
recapture her own.
Thad Geer’s portrayal of Boss Finley, the overly bitter,
self-serving father, is the most seemingly sinister character of
the play. Though evil, Finley’s lines become the most laughable,
invoking images of old Rozco Pico Train of "Dukes of Hazzard" or
some similarly ridiculous egotistical southern-power monger. While
Boss Finley remains a flat character with a singular bitter goal in
mind, Thad Geer manages to still make the non-dimensional
entertaining.
At times the play is a bit overdone  like the effort of
skinny Tom Jr. (Kristofer Soul) and friends to beat up a much
larger Chance Wayne  but most actors show obvious talent or
at least the promise of another job after "Sweet Bird" flies the
coop.
Most is not the same as all though, as Susan Angelo as Heavenly
surely proves. With a meek voice and fake cry, Angelo is a casting
mismatch as the beautiful young heroine and object of a handsome
Chance’s desires.
Williams’ "Sweet Bird of Youth" is not a play of tooth-achy
sweetness, or smiling times and tidy endings. But with an
entertaining cast ensconced in a lovable rustic theater, it won’t
fly too far away.
THEATER: "Sweet Bird of Youth" runs through Sept. 13 at the Will
Geer Theatricum Botanicum every Sat. at 8 p.m. For more information
call (310) 455-3723.
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum
Chance Wayne (Richard Tyson) and Alexandra Del Lago (Ellen
Greer) in "Sweet Bird of Youth."
Related Link
Tennessee Williams Festival to Include 2nd Acting
Competition