What It Means to Be a Family

Brighton Beach Memoirs – Citadel Theatre

Back in 1983, Neil Simon, the undisputed King of Comedy on Broadway and film, surprised theatre critics and patrons alike with his latest, an autobiographical play. Up to this point in his career, the gifted playwright had mainly brought only laughter to audiences with brilliant comedies like “Barefoot in the Park,” “The Odd Couple,” “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” and the play that launched Simon’s career, “Come Blow Your Horn.” But in this largely personal play, Simon’s signature one-liners serve as welcome comic relief for all the domestic drama that plagues this loving family.

Set in the community of Brighton Beach, New York, back in 1937, this story of the Jerome family is a nostalgic look at the Baby Boomer America of a by-gone era. It’s paints a loving portrait of an extended Jewish family who, despite their cramped living conditions, financial difficulties and petty arguments, care deeply about each other. Surviving the Great Depression and watching helplessly as the world entered another Great War, we come to understand this time period from more than an historical perspective. We truly feel for and care about these characters as people. And what we ultimately enjoy is a warm-hearted story of what it means to be a family who are deeply devoted to each other.

Eugene Jerome is the 15-year-old narrator of this play, who seamlessly steps in and out of the story, relating his thoughts and feelings and sharing all kinds of family secrets. Portrayed with energy and a talent for landing Simon’s comic one-liners, young Siah Berlatsky represents the playwright in this comedy. The focal point of this play, the actor creates a likable adolescent who’s navigating the mysteries of puberty, is passionate about baseball and writing and despite some typical teenage angst, adores his family, especially his attractive cousin, Nora.

Living together in the close confines of six tiny rooms, modestly designed by Eric Luchen, Eugene worships his older brother Stanley (a terrific Danny Mulae), and loves and respects his parents Kate (a tenacious, tough Monica Castle) and Jack (a commanding, authentically-portrayed Ron Quade). Sharing the cramped confines of their Brighton Beach home is Kate’s young, widowed sister Blanche (exquisitely portrayed by Abby Lee); her two daughters, the introverted, sickly Laurie (played with nerdy detail by Shaya Harris); and Eugene’s comely older cousin, Nora (portrayed with strength and spirit by pretty Juliana Liscio).

Throughout the typical, everyday activities of family dinners, running errands and offering advice about every situation that arises, Simon deals with a myriad of problems and circumstances that are specific to this family. He touches on such topics as financial duress, women’s rights, bigotry, sexual awakening, the need for privacy and desire for independence, health issues and the empathy displayed by an affectionate family for each other, as well as their European relatives.

Artistic Director Scott Phelps has nicely directed this production that welcomes his North Shore audience back to live theatre after the long pandemic shutdown. He’s skillfully helped guide his cast into becoming seven memorable characters, giving each his or her own particular moment to shine. Neil Simon’s script is nearly perfect and Mr. Phelps has only enhanced that quality. He’s smartly paced his production with precision, although at times the many stairs going into the house and up to the bedrooms tends to slow down the proceedings.

Samuel Stephen’s lighting design nicely directs the audience’s focus while illuminating the stage, and the detailed sound design by Daryl Breese helps create an illusion of reality for this production. Colin Bradley Meyer’s costumes, while uniformly good, were sometimes at odds with the time period. The wardrobe for the four kids was well-thought out and executed, and the adults looked authentic in the first act. However, Jack’s bathrobe in the second act wasn’t correct; in the same act, Blanche’s dress for her date was the wrong style for 1937; and Kate reentered the living room fully dressed, from having been upstairs in bed. Blanche also wore her too-new-looking heeled spectator pumps with her bathrobe, which was not only noisy but out of character. This is picky criticism, but such mistakes tend to take the discerning audience member out of the story.

Neil Simon’s charming autobiographical comedy, the first in his trilogy that includes “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound,” is a wonderful, warm welcome back to live productions at the Citadel Theatre. It would be sublime if Scott Phelps were to include these other two comedies in subsequent seasons, along with additional Neil Simon shows. This year’s offerings continue with the charming musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” the heartwarming romantic comedy, “Outside Mullingar,” and the wacky, surreal Steve Martin comedy, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” At long last, live theatre has returned to Chicagoland!

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented September 15-October 17 by Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest, IL.

Tickets are available by calling 847.735.8554, ext. 1, or by going to www.citadeltheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.