`Barefoot in the Park’ offers nostalgic laughs

Theater review

When Neil Simon wrote “Barefoot in the Park” in 1964, the term “newlywed” was fashionable. Within the last 25 years, the term has fallen out of popularity, and perhaps Simon’s play should have fallen with it. But the Penobscot Theater has revived the domestic farce and the result is an evening of nostalgic laughs and a worthwhile reminder that no one on earth should be without “spiritual, emotional, and physical love.”

Most of us know the story of Paul and Corie Bratter, their excitement over their new marriage and their passionate physical expression of that love. When the story opens, they are setting up house in a five-story walkup apartment in a New York brownstone, and learning about each other’s personality quirks. They experience every encounter and moment with thrilled seriousness and gripping emotion. The introduction of life’s responsibilities, however, brings the honeymoon to an end, and the two juggle about the term “divorce” before the love story ends with their marriage intact, and all the proper Neil Simon-type lessons learned.

The success of the show relies on the energetic performance of the character Corie, a young woman filled with a love for experience and a willingness to take risks. Penobscot’s Cynthia Logan has the right idea with her bouncing stances and high pony tail, but the intonation of her voice lacks variety and conviction. All too often, she anticipates her cues and her posturing and character grow a little stale after the first act. In addition, her stage business reflects a memory working hard to recall stage directions, rather than an imagination developing character.

As Corie’s husband, George Hamrah, is funny, resourceful and restrained just as his character should be. I hope the flimsy walls and furniture of the set will hold up against his expressive reactions on stage.

Katharine Tyson plays Corie’s mother, Mrs. Banks, but unfortunately lacks the cynical edge and propriety that are so vital to this character. As usual, Tyson performs some convincing stage stunts, but Mrs. Banks is careful, calculating and intelligent, not clumsy, spacey or grandmotherly as Tyson portrays her.

As the eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco, John Erickson adds pizazz to the show and increases the otherwise slow pace. A brief appearance by David Gramlich is also worth mentioning. Although he’s on stage for probably a total of 10 minutes, Gramlich is thoroughly enjoyable to watch.

Although the set is attractive and appropriate for the time period of the piece, we are asked to overlook a lot of distracting details such as the worn out furniture that is supposed to be new, a telephone that just won’t sustain being hung up with any force and too many unconvincing conversations that take place down a supposed five-flight stairway.

Simon’s plays often take a sensitive and perceptive look at the human condition, and he is undoubtably one of the most successful American playwrights of our century. The danger of directing a Simon play, however, is that the product may be trite if not handled carefully and purposefully. The Penobscot production of “Barefoot in the Park” is not without merit, but it is at times careless.

The dinner theater performance of “Barefoot in the Park” includes cocktails at 6 p.m., buffet at 7 p.m. and the show at 8:30 p.m. March 17. The brunch performance includes cocktails at 12:30 p.m., brunch at 1 p.m. and the show at 2:30 p.m. March 18 at Jeff’s Catering, Outer Hammond Street. For reservations, call 942-3333.