ConversationwithStephenKing

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Friday, 22 February 2013

Theater Review: Curse of the Starving Class -- Long Wharf

Posted on 07:46 by Unknown
Judith Ivey and Peter Albrink. Photo: T. Charles Erickson
What Kind of Family is This? In truth, It’s Ours
By Lauren Yarger
The family is broke, the refrigerator is bare and no one is getting along. Sound familiar? Except for the absurdity of the disillusioned characters in Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class playing at Long Wharf Theatre, this might be our family. In a way, because of the absurdity and its revelation of the human condition, we sadly discover that they are us.

The play is the first in Shepard’s family trilogy, which includes Pulitzer-Prize winner Buried Child and True West and is as much an accurate description of American society in 2013 as it was in 1978 when it first was produced. It is a timely choice by Gordon Edelstein, who directs.

Patriarch Weston (Kevin Tighe) is out of job and spends most of his time drunk and losing money he borrows gambling or in bogus land deals for useless desert, where he wants to live in solitude. He schemes to sell his family farm in rural California without the knowledge of his wife, Ella (Judith Ivey), who tried to lock him out the last time he came home drunk. 

Amidst the fragments of the broken door, Ella dreams of relocating to a more sophisticated life in Europe and schemes to sell the farm without Weston’s knowledge, aided by lawyer friend Taylor (John Procaccino), who has his own selfish motives for being part of the deal.

Meanwhile, daughter Emma (Elvy Yost) tries to cope with her first period (the curse) and mean-spirited brother, Wesley (Peter Albrink), who sabotages her 4-H chicken project (her costuming designed by Clint Ramos, for some reason makes her look like a boy.) 

Ivey delivers a powerhouse performance rich for its mix of humor and pathos. Layers of meaning haunt the response she repeatedly uses for her family: “Don’t be ridiculous.”

But ridiculous they are and Emma finally asks, “What kind of a family is this? Wesley urinates in the kitchen (surrounded by dirt in a bare-bones design by Michael Yeargan), Weston sleeps on the kitchen table, there’s a penned lamb baaing away (so amazingly on cue that it received applause) and they all seem surprised every time they open that refrigerator door to find it empty. 

“Just once. Just one time there could be something totally surprising. Something out of the blue,” Ella laments as she finds it empty and opens it again. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It’s a miracle. Oblivion.”

Things go downhill fast when Emma gets arrested, a guy named Emerson (Clark Middleton) shows up claiming he purchased the house from a drunk Weston and then Wesley interferes with the thugs (Middleton and Ben Becher) trying to collect money from his father. Things get very scary, indeed, when Wesley proves he’s not much more than a chip off the old block.

Shepard’s gift for words and interjection of monologues, where we hear the inner feelings of the characters expressed in the midst of the dialogue and action, creates a depressing, yet moving story that stirs emotion. In the end it is a commentary on American society, on our inability to see the harm in a system that forces us to borrow money that doesn’t even exist and on our expectations that someone else will fill our refrigerator. It also is a devastatingly chilling vision of what the effect of our mismanagement will be on the next generation.

Don’t be put off, however. The darker side of the production is offset by riveting performances by Ivey and Tighe – and that really adorable scene-stealing lamb handled by William Berloni (read more about her here: http://www.longwharf.org/blog/?p=386). Also, be warned: the show includes loud noises and nudity.

Curse of the Starving Class runs through March 10 at Long Wharf's Mainstage, 222 Sargent Drive, Nw Haven. Performances are Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 pm; Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8 pm; Matinees Wednesday and Sunday at 2 pm, Saturdays at 3 pm. Tickets $40-$70 (203) 787-4282; www.longwharf.org.

View a trailer for the show by clicking here.
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Posted in | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby Flies into the Palace
    PeterPan and TigerLilly. Photo: Michael Lamonte The Palace Theater will become home to a band of pirates, fairies and Lost Boys when the nat...
  • CT Rep's Intimate Apparel is a Go for Tonight
    Esther Mills (Khetanya Henderson) with Mr. Marks (Harrison Howard Haney) in a scene from Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s production of Intim...
  • Theater Review: The Realistic Joneses -- Yale Rep
    Tracy Letts and Parker Posey. Photo: © Joan Marcus, 2012 Keeping Up with These Joneses Isn’t Always Easy By Lauren Yarger Knowing chuckles ...
  • A Conversation with Stephen King
    Stephen King and Colin McEnroe at the Bushnell. Photo: John Groo By Lauren Yarger Fans packed the house at The Bushnell Center for the Perfo...
  • Horse Extravaganza Show Extends Near Boston
    The Travelers V / Les voyageurs V | Credits: JF Leblanc Cavalia’s Odysseo , a $30-million horse show imagined by Normand Latourelle, one of ...
  • Quick Hit Theater Review: Next to Normal -- Seven Angels
    Semina De Laurentis and Victor Hernndez. Photo: Paul Roth Next to Normal Music by Tom Kitt Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey Music Director Za...
  • Theater Review: Looped -- The Bushnell
    Stefanie Powers. Photo: Ian Ibbetson It’s a Recording Session from Hell When the Star Gets Looped By Lauren Yarger A single line of dialogu...
  • Daniel Davis Prosperos at Hartford Stage
    Daniel Davis Tony Award nominee Daniel Davis, best known for his recent NYC roles in Classic Stage’s The Cherry Orchard , Lincoln Center’s T...
  • It's Time to Play With Your Food
    Patricia Kalember and Daniel Gerroll. Photo: Phyllis Groner   Play With Your Food Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St. Buffet Lunch, Re...
  • Theater Review: Abundance -- Hartford Stage
    Brenda Withers and Monique Vukovic. Photo: T. Charles Erickson A Tale as Tall as the Sky is Wide Sweeps Across the Stage By Lauren Yarger Ab...

Categories

  • 13; hartford children's theatre (1)
  • 2012 pulitzer prize; george jean nathan; award; dramatc; criticism; marc robinson; the american play (1)
  • 2013 connecticut theater awards; critics circle (1)
  • ACTA; american theatre critics association; playwright; award (1)
  • addams family; review; bushnell (1)
  • aetna; arts week (1)
  • aint misbehavin (1)
  • Alanis Morrissette (1)
  • almost maine (1)
  • Always Patsy Cline; ivoryton playhouse (1)
  • amazing grace; and open reading dates‏; Cancer the musical; invisible cities; pop (1)
  • amazing grace; musical; christopher smith; john newton; christian (1)
  • arts news; connecticut (2)
  • Asher Lev Long Wharf (1)
  • belleville; amy herzog; maria dizzia; greg keller; yale rep (2)
  • ben brantley; fairfield university; quick center (1)
  • Ben Cole and Varín Ayala; tazewell thompson (1)
  • bijou theatre; bridgeport; a capella; bijou blender (1)
  • Bill Berloni; a christmas story; broadway; dogs; rescue (1)
  • Bill Raymond; A Christmas Carol; Hartford Stage (1)
  • blues brothers; palace theater (1)
  • bobbie steggert; westport (1)
  • book and candle (1)
  • brand:NEW; hartford stage; hana sharif (1)
  • brian dennehy; ltters home; US troops; veterans day; westport country playhouse (1)
  • bushnell; hartford (1)
  • bushnell; mark mcvey (1)
  • bushnell; memphis; review; connecticut (1)
  • cabaret; music theatre of CT (1)
  • carousel; mame; goodspeed (1)
  • cathedral schola cantorum; cathedral of St. Joseph; New Haven Symphony Orchetsra (1)
  • centennial casting; seven angels (1)
  • charlie daniels band; palace theater; waterbury (1)
  • christmas carol; hartford stage; bill raymond; (1)
  • cindy williams; laverne and shirley; nunset blouevard; palace theater; waterbury (1)
  • city of angels; larry gelbart; cy coleman; burke moses; darko tresnjak; nancy anderson (1)
  • Connecticut Critics Circle; nominations 2013; awards (1)
  • connecticut; arts news; storm; closings; exchange tickets (1)
  • crystal gayle; bridgeport; downtown cabaret (1)
  • CT forum; sports (1)
  • CT Free Shakespeare (1)
  • CT Rep (1)
  • CT Rep; I'm Connecticut; Joyce DeWitt; Jerry Adler (2)
  • ctahc me if you can; bushnell (1)
  • cymbeline (1)
  • dave brubeck; concert; jazz; dead (1)
  • downtown cabaret theatre; bridgeport; defending the caveman (2)
  • Dr. Ruth; sex; theaterworks; debra jo rupp; becoming Dr. ruth (1)
  • fairfield (1)
  • fairfield university; glass menagerie (1)
  • february house; public theatre; long wharf (2)
  • fiddler on the roof; bushnell (1)
  • frank mccourt; couple of blaggards; long wharf (1)
  • gentleman's guide to love and murder; hartford stage; review; theater (1)
  • gob squad; super night shot; no boundaries; yale (2)
  • good goods; yale (1)
  • goodspeed; mame (1)
  • goodspeed; new musicals; festival (1)
  • Goodspeed; norma terris; L M N O P (1)
  • goodspeed' hello dolly; kea blackhurst (1)
  • goodspeed' hello dolly; klea blackhurst (1)
  • grinch; christmas; kids; musical; bushnell; broadway (1)
  • groovelilly; holiday (1)
  • hairpspray; uconn; connecticut rep; kevin meaney; tina fabrique (1)
  • harriet beecher stowe house (1)
  • hartbeat ensemble; connecticut; theater; sex trafficking (1)
  • hartford (1)
  • hartford children's theatre (1)
  • Hartford children's theatre; closing; hartford stage; educational programming; theater for kids (1)
  • hartford stage; baryshnikov; man in a case' review (1)
  • hartford stage; boeing boeing; review (1)
  • Hartford stage; christmas carol; bill raymond (1)
  • hartford stage; darko tresnjak; 2012-2013 season (1)
  • hartford stage; new season (2)
  • Hartford Symphony Orchestra (1)
  • has gone too far (1)
  • hello dolly; klea blackhurst; goodspeed; review (1)
  • holiday concert; new haven symphony orchestra; quick center (1)
  • home for the holidays; Jacqueline Hubbard; ivoryton playhouse (1)
  • HSO Pops; music of john williams (1)
  • HSO; CEO;Andrea Stalf (1)
  • HSO; hande;'s messiah; connecticut (1)
  • HSO; hartford symphony (1)
  • hso; hartford symphony; holiday (1)
  • hso; hartford symphony; sunday serenade (1)
  • HSO; hartford symphony; wadsworth; african american (1)
  • HSO; masterworks; pops; talcott mountain (1)
  • I'm Connecticut; mike reiss; ivoryton (1)
  • Into the woods; westport; playhouse (1)
  • irish; ivoryton; Michael McDermott (1)
  • ivoryton playhouse; kitchen witches; review; connecticut; theater (1)
  • ivoryton playhouse; woman in black; Ian Lowe (1)
  • ivoryton; auditions (1)
  • jacques lamarre; hole in the wall; mark twain; R rated; new britain (1)
  • Jamil A.C. Mangan; Courtney Thomas (1)
  • jazz brunch; mark twain house (1)
  • jerry adler; Harris Doran (1)
  • john tesh; palace; waterbury (1)
  • josh borenstein; managing director; long wharf; theater (1)
  • julie andrews; goodspeed; great american mousical (1)
  • kate; the kate; katharine hepbern; cultural arts center; old saybrook (1)
  • Kathleen Turner; long wharf; killing of sister george (1)
  • Kathleen Turner; the killing of sister george; long wharf; clea aslip (1)
  • kids books; writing; revision workshop; NESCBWI (1)
  • krapp's last tape; dennehy; long wharf (1)
  • kreskin; downtown cabaret; bridgeport (1)
  • kritin chenoweth; goodspeed (1)
  • les mis; 25th anniversary; blue man group; hartford; bushnell; tour; review; connecticut; arts (1)
  • lewis lapham (1)
  • life could be a dream; ivoryton playhouse; (1)
  • lighting ceremony (1)
  • long wharf (2)
  • Long Wharf Theatre; construction (1)
  • long wharf; I am; studio classes (1)
  • long wharf; renovations (1)
  • long wharf; review (1)
  • lovliest home that ever was; steve courtney; mark twain house (1)
  • lyle lovett; connecticut forum (1)
  • macbeth 1969; long wharf; theater; eric ting; review; connecticut (1)
  • mark twain house (1)
  • mark twain house; clue; hateful things; harriet tubman (2)
  • mark twain house; comedy shorts (1)
  • mark twain house; decorated; sherlock holmes (1)
  • mark twain house; gun control; craig whitney; second amendment (1)
  • mark twain writers weekend (2)
  • mark twain; lary bloom; suzanne levine; memoir; writing class (1)
  • mary poppins; tour; bushnell (1)
  • menopause the musical; palace theater; waterbury (1)
  • michael douglas; o'neill theater center; monte cristo award (2)
  • miracle on 34th street; seven angeles; theater; waterbury (1)
  • momix; moses pendleton (1)
  • Morrissey (1)
  • Mousical; julie andrews; goodspeed; gattelli (1)
  • mousical; julie andrews; goodspeed; norma terris (1)
  • mtc; music theatre connecticut; arts; CT; review; theater (1)
  • national theatre of the deaf; sign language; show; christmas; wales; ivoryton Playhouse (1)
  • Next to Normal; Music Theatre of Connecticut; Westport (1)
  • Nicholas Sparks (1)
  • Nicholas Sparks; new book; walk to remember; message in a bottle; the notebook; tips for writers (1)
  • norma terris; goodspeed (1)
  • norma terris; goodspeed; snapshots; musical; stephen schwatrz (1)
  • o'neill (1)
  • O'Neill; theater; musical; conference' summer; (1)
  • odysseus DOA; CT Rep (1)
  • palace theater (1)
  • palace theater waterbury may (1)
  • palace theater; waterbury; arts (1)
  • palace theater; waterbury; mamma mia (1)
  • Palace; Nutcracker; woodbury Ballet; quick center; Met Live; aida (1)
  • palace; waterbury; art forms (1)
  • palace; young frankenstein (1)
  • pat sajak; uconn; ct rep; drowsy chaperone; review (1)
  • patsy cline; home for the holidays; Jacqueline Hubbard; ivoryton playhouse (1)
  • paul Giamatti; yale rep (1)
  • Paul Giamatti; yale rep; hamlet; marc kudisch; james bundy (1)
  • performance cancellede; seven angels; marie wallace; injured; fall from stage (1)
  • play with your food; westport (2)
  • Potted Potter; Harry Potter; bushnell; kids; connecticut (1)
  • quick center; university of fairfield; unconn; CT Rep; auditions (1)
  • raisin in the sun; lorraine hansberry; westport; phylicia rashad (1)
  • red; theaterworks (1)
  • reduced skakespeare; quick center (1)
  • review; hartford stage; beth henley; abundance; (1)
  • Ride the tiger; review; theater; long wharf; JFK; (1)
  • rob ruggiero; theaterworks; theater; hartford (1)
  • romeo and juliet (1)
  • sacred heart university; spring awakening (1)
  • Sarah Ruhl; Dear Elizabeth; yale rep (1)
  • Satchmo at the waldorf; terry teachout; louis armstrong; review; long wharf (1)
  • scared sounds; concert series; verdi; requiem; st. joseph cathedral (1)
  • seven angels; season (1)
  • shakespeare on the sound (1)
  • shakespeare on the sound; joanna settle (1)
  • shrek; palace; review; family; connecticut; theater (1)
  • sister act; the bushnell; whoppi goldberg; review (1)
  • Smokey Joe's Cafe; long wharf theatre (1)
  • Something's Afoot; goodspeed; review; theater (1)
  • sound of music; sing along; palace theater; waterbury (1)
  • spoken word; javon johnson; wesleyan (1)
  • spring awakening; CT Rep (1)
  • st. joseph cathedral; hartford; sacred sounds (1)
  • stephen king; conversation; interview; god; religion; new book; mark twain house (1)
  • stephen king; mark twain house; hartford; bushnell (1)
  • Stephen Svoboda; conn (1)
  • Steve L. Barron (1)
  • STONC; summer theatre of new canaan (1)
  • storm; nemo; blizzard; connecticut; cancellations (1)
  • tartuffe; marc kudish; westport; playhouse (1)
  • the kate; katharine hepbern; cultural arts center; old saybrook (1)
  • theaterworks; art gallery; prison (1)
  • Theaterworks; hartford; motherf**ker with the hat; Royce Johnson (1)
  • TheaterWorks; hartford; rob ruggiero; martin luther king; mountaintip' katori hall (1)
  • theaterworks; hartford; sty of the blind pig; philip hayes dean (1)
  • theaterworks; tryst; love. lost spaghetti (1)
  • twelfth night; hartford stage; linda cho; aleander dodge; darko tresnjak; kate maccluggage (1)
  • twelfth night; westport country playhouse; band geeks; norma terris; goodspeed; musical; connecticut; arts (1)
  • uglu duckling; puppets; westport country playhouse (1)
  • venus in fur; theaterworks; hartford; review; david ives (2)
  • water by the spoonful (1)
  • water by the spoonful; hartford stage (2)
  • weather; nemo; snow; cancellations; connecticut (1)
  • wesleyan; connected; breaking ground dance series (1)
  • Westport country playhouse (1)
  • westport country playhouse; community day (1)
  • westport country playhouse; loot; lliv rooth (1)
  • westport; shakespeare on the sound; stew; joanna settle (1)
  • whipping man; hartford stage (1)
  • Win; tickets; golden boy; free; broadway (1)
  • winter's tale; ct rep (1)
  • wonderul life; long wharf (1)
  • writers' weekend; mark twain house; anita diamant; david lindsay abaire (1)
  • writing weekend; mark twain house; urhy; gurney; latham (1)
  • yale rep; doctor in spite of himself; moliere; (1)
  • yale rep; marie antoinette; David Adjmi; marin ireland; (1)
  • yale rep; realistic jonses; parker posey; tracy letts; sam gold (1)
  • yale school of drama (1)
  • yale; gob squad; no boundaries; night shot (1)
  • yale; hamlet; paul giamatti; theater; sold out (1)
  • yale; rep; review; winter's tale (1)

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2013 (151)
    • ►  August (3)
    • ►  July (11)
    • ►  June (17)
    • ►  May (22)
    • ►  April (23)
    • ►  March (21)
    • ▼  February (33)
      • Living With Guns Discussion on Tap at the Mark Twain
      • Theater Review: American Idiot -- The Bushnell
      • St. Patrick's Day Comes Early for Waterbury
      • HSO Jazz & Strings Pays Tribute to Billie Holiday
      • Good News! Goodspeed Announces Good News! Casting
      • Connecticut Arts Connections to Make This Week!
      • Theater Review: Curse of the Starving Class -- Lon...
      • Theater Review: Say Goodnight, Gracie -- Seven Angels
      • Timely Discussion on Living with Guns on Tap at Ma...
      • This Week's Connecticut Arts Connections
      • Freckleface Strawberry Characters Come to Life in ...
      • Extra!, Extra! Read All About It: CT Rep Presents ...
      • Quick Hit Theater Review: Peter Pan -- the Palace
      • Peter Pan Flies into Palace Tonight
      • Ivoryton Playhouse Announces 2013 Season
      • Earth, Wind Fire Converge at the Palace
      • Casting Set for Abundance at Hartford Stage
      • Book of Mormon, War Horse Head Bushnell's 2013-201...
      • Think Summer! HSO Sets Talcott Mountain Programs
      • Bushnell's Sneak Peek at Broadway Season Cancelled
      • CONCORA Cancels Modern Masters Concert
      • Saturday, Feb. 9 Weather Cancellations/Updates
      • Cancellations & Schedule Changes Due to Blizzard Nemo
      • Nicholas Sparks Will Speak at Edgerton Center
      • Pigs Will Fly at the Palace
      • Friday HSO Event Has Been Cancelled
      • Theater Review: Ancestral Voices -- Music Theatre ...
      • Mystery, Adam & Eve, Ghosts Highlight Month at Mar...
      • Jazz, Love and Goodspeed on HSO's Program This Month
      • Hello, Daniel! Goldstein Assumes Director's Role f...
      • Connecticut Arts Connections to Make This Week
      • Theater Review: Almost Maine -- TheaterWorks
      • Theater Review: Stones in His Pockets -- Yale Rep
    • ►  January (21)
  • ►  2012 (309)
    • ►  December (29)
    • ►  November (19)
    • ►  October (40)
    • ►  September (23)
    • ►  August (19)
    • ►  July (21)
    • ►  June (22)
    • ►  May (29)
    • ►  April (32)
    • ►  March (38)
    • ►  February (23)
    • ►  January (14)
  • ►  2011 (40)
    • ►  December (4)
    • ►  November (25)
    • ►  October (11)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

Unknown
View my complete profile