VICTORIAN PLAYERS Cast is delightful in comedy ‘You Can’t Take It With You’

August 31, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

By Eric McCrea

The Victorians Players kicked off its 2014-15 season with the delightfully classic comedy “You Can’t Take It With You.”

Set in late Depression-era New York City, we are introduced to the Sycamore family. The patriarchal Grandpa, played by director Tom Smith, is retired and enjoying a home life full of adventure. His daughter Penny (co-director Gerri Jenkins) is typing away at her scripts while her husband, Paul (Robert Joliff), tinkers away on his fireworks in the household basement with former milkman Mr. DePinna (Carlos E. Rivera Jr.)

Granddaughter Essie, played by Lindsey Pratt, keeps herself busy with ballet lessons and candy making. Her husband, Ed (Jim Hain), delivers the candy, provides ballet-lesson accompaniment on his xylophone and operates a small printing press. Before long, Essie’s sister Alice (Taylor Ann Norris) announces her engagement to socialite and heir Anthony Kirby Jr. (Stephen Kountz), but she’s worried that his sophisticated parents won’t approve of the menagerie of black sheep who make up her untraditional family.

A family introduction is arranged, but things get chaotic when the Kirbys show up a day early.

Smith is boisterous in the role of Grandpa. He plays it with the bravado of a ’50s-era sitcom Dad. If anything, his energy is almost too young for the role.

Jenkins is humorous as the family hen. Her ditzy and bubbly persona is a perfect fit in this oddball family.

Christopher Haddock plays ballet instructor Mr. Kolnekov. His character fills the room when he’s onstage, giving the entire show a calamitous feel of “what will happen next.” When he’s not ranting about his disdain for the Soviets and pining for his Mother Russia, he’s challenging American social norms in a larger-than-life way.

Joyce A. Jenkins-Jones as the family’s housekeeper is paired well with Brian K. West’s performance of Donald. Together, the pair add a polished comic tone and earn some of the biggest laughs in the show.

Pratt and Hain are charmingly cute as an outside-the-box duo. With Pratt’s clumsy, constant ballet moves and Hain’s devoted musical ambience, the play gains a sense of whimsy and merriment.

Rivera delivers a redemptive performance as the dopey household assistant. There’s something not quite right with him, but it makes for comic gold.

Norris is a gem in this show. She has no difficulty creating a stark contrast between her career-minded mainstream gal and the rest of her off-the-wall housemates. In contrast, Kountz provides a charming, strait-laced romantic lead. Underneath both of them is just the right amount of subtext showing their love of all things quirky.

Also worthy of note are Cher Halas as Mrs. Kirby, Marisa Keshock as the drunken Gay Wellington, and Chloe Housteau as the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina.

There were a few opening night hiccups, however. There were many lines stepped on and a few noticeable pauses. The stage was awkwardly cluttered, which affected blocking. Opening night went well technically, including scene changes, a needed improvement for the Vic.

“You Can’t Take It With You” runs Sundays at 2 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. until Sept. 14. For reservations, call 330-746-5455.