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Victorian Players offers warm tale of family life with ‘I Remember Mama’
By Eric McCrea
Youngstown
If the deep freeze of winter is becoming too much to handle, escape the chill with a warm tale at The Victorian Players Theater. “I Remember Mama” is a charming play set in early 1900s San Francisco.
The semi-autobiographical story of a Norwegian family striving for the American dream is narrated by Katrin, played by Serena Phillips. She recounts anecdotes about her beloved mother, played by Laura J. Phillips, while negotiating a roller coaster of a family dynamic. A trio of aunts schemes to obtain a dowry from the patriarchal Uncle Chris, played by C. Richard Haldi while Papa (Miles Paul Assion) struggles with a work strike.
Laura J. Phillips shines in her return to the stage. The role is almost too subtle to contain her talent, but she excels at realism. Her portrayal of a strong and nurturing mother is superb.
Assion balances the matron with a stoic and level-headed father. He provides some great laughs and is a source of constant support.
Completing this family are four delightful children. In the role of Nels, the only boy, is Vincent Dragos. He creates an example of how the family members are willing to sacrifice for one another when they pinch pennies to send him to high school.
Sister Christine, played by Morgan LaCamera, provides strict truth — even when it’s blunt.
The youngest daughter, Dagmar, staged by the spritely Rachael Conrad, is a ray of precocious sunshine.
Selena Phillips proves to be capable in the pivotal storyteller role. She adds a sweet pleasantry and nervousness that ties the siblings together.
As bride-to-be Trina, Marisa Keshock is timidly enchanting. As the nicest of the aunts, she adds immense interest to the story.
The stern, bossy Aunt Jenny is played by Patricia Fagan. She fills the role with wisdom and caution.
Teresa Evans plays Sigrid, the dramatic aunt who is prone to exaggeration. Evans is admirable in the part, but there’s an unnamable anachronistic quality about her that makes her stick out.
Haldi is great as the bad guy with a heart of gold. He becomes quite endearing no matter how intimidating he tries to be.
Also worthy of note are Stephen Kountz as the boarder, Mr. Hyde, and Trudy Mason as author Florence Dana Moorehead. They create outstanding characters.
Overall, the story wasn’t very fast-paced, and one would be hard-pressed to find any engrossing conflict or culmination, but a solid cast made even the average events of life entertaining.
A couple of sticky sound and light cues smudged the flow of the evening, and a set of double doors become a challenge to the fourth wall. But impressive lighting design and a spacious set were inspiring modifications to the space.
“I Remember Mama” runs at 2 p.m. today and next Sunday and at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Feb. 27 and 28. For reservations, call The Victorian Players Theater at 330-746-5455.