Anne Darragh (Mom), Kathryn Zdan (Manda) and Rosie Hallett (Meesh) in the West Coast premiere of Mona Mansour’s The Way West, on stage at Marin Theatre Company
The Way West: Comedy/Fable(?) with Music by Mona Mansour. Directed by Hayley Finn. Song arrangements by Misner and Smith. Marin Theatre Company (MTC), 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941. Phone: 415-388-5208 or boxoffice@marintheatre.org.
April 16 – May 10, 2015
The Way West loses its way at Marin Theatre. [rating:3]
With the desire to foster and encourage playwrights a plethora of new play awards are popping up around the country. It seems inevitable that some questionable award selections lead to main stage productions. The Way West, that is being given a full-scale treatment at the Marin Theater, was the winner of the company’s 2013 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize is one of those questionable selections.
The Way West received its world premiere in April 2014 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago and the reviews were universally tepid, nay even critical. The play has been further developed in a five-day workshop in January 2015 at MTC and song arrangements by local Americana duo Misner and Smith added to the script. Although dramatically staged with a mostly top-notch cast the storyline hit more than a few ruts during this two hour (with intermission) multiple scene play ending with a whimper.
The various scenes are introduced by large signs enfolding on stage left suggesting the content of the upcoming action beginning with “THE WAY WEST IS BEST.” Partial list of other signs include, “Help is Here”, “Hope Springs Eternal”, “Another Mouth to Feed”, “Adapt or Die” and the penultimate one (paraphrased) “The Wheels Come Off.”
The main characters are a mother and two daughters; Mom (Anne Darragh), with early signs of dementia being cared for by her youngest illogical Michele (Rosie Hallett) and the eldest level-headed Amanda (Kathryn Zdan) has arrived to help Mom with her filing for bankruptcy. Mom, who lives in a depressed mid-valley town similar to Stockton, has a knack for telling dubious stories about the settling of the West. These improbable stories are the mainstay of the fanciful plot that injects humor into the evening that becomes a hodgepodge of purpose.
It all begins with a dramatic monolog by Mom before the string instruments are brought out and plucked by all three as they sing songs pertinent to the action taking place or about to take place. Although the music is germane the play is not a musical but rather a clever device that adds interest and humor.
As the evening progresses author Mansour astutely builds solid characters with specific traits being buttressed by word as well as action. Michelle has, unbeknownst to Mom, has used Mom’s over extended credit cards to set up a scheme to earn money on Ebay. The level-headed Amanda lives well by keeping ahead of her creditors/debts by paying off the minimum on the balance.
Added to the script is upbeat, hyperactive Tress (marvelous underutilized Stacy Ross) who has helped drain Mom’s coffers with a hilarious improbable business venture. A questionable love interest for Amanda is present as Luis (Hugo Carbajal) who is there to help with bankruptcy. Carbajal has a great turn as a 30 plus year old pizza delivery man in the best scene in the play as the women try to pay for a delivery with expired credit cards.
Ann Darragh who is a mainstay on local stages does not disappoint in a difficult role. Kathryn Zdan earns the major accolades and receives great support by Rosie Hallett as her antithesis.
The set (Geoffery M. Curley) is a marvel of jumble framed by the skeleton of a pioneer wagon symbolic of Mom’s fanciful journey West told in implausible stories.
CAST: Carbajal (Luis/Pizza man); Anne Darragh (Mom); Rosie Hallett (Michele); Stacy Ross (Tress); and Kathryn Zdan (Amanda).
ARTISTIC STAFF: Directed by Hayley Finn; Scenic Designer, Geoffrey M. Curley; Lighting Designer, Masha Tsimring; Costume Designer, Christine Crook; Sound Designer, Brendan Aanes; Composers/Music Directors, Sam Misner & Megan Pearl Smith; Stage Manager, Heath Belden; Properties Artisan, Kirsten Royston; Casting Director, Meg Pearson; Dramaturg, Margot Melcon.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com
Anne Darragh (Mom), Kathryn Zdan (Manda) and Rosie Hallett (Meesh) in the West Coast premiere of Mona Mansour’s The Way West, on stage at Marin Theatre Company now through May 10.
