By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
photo by Tim Fuller
Mary Tyrone (Theresa McElwee) and James Tyrone (Joseph McGrath) struggle with reality in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night."
The dysfunctional family has long been a mainstay of American theater. For nearly three hours The Rogue Theatre kept a near-capacity audience stone cold quiet with its relentlessly intense presentation of Eugene O'Neill's dysfunctional family classic “Long Day's Journey Into Night.”
Led by special guest artist Theresa McElwee as morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone, the lost and long-suffering wife of perpetually touring actor James Tyrone (Joseph McGrath), this adamant cast takes the play in it's teeth and never lets go.
Their story is set in 1912, well over a century ago. A time when a proper family's speech was more formal, even around the house. Maintaining a proper family in every respect was essential to the Tyrones' image of themselves and to their adult children Jamie (Ryan Parker Knox) and his younger sibling Edmund (Hunter Hnat).
McElwee brings a deep theater background to the Rogue stage. Her performance is a masterful range of subtle shifts as Mary's rootless personality tries clinging to this or that, always searching for something stable.
Raised in a Catholic convent and being from a fine family, Mary wasn't prepared for the itinerant life of a popular actor. But for her it was love at first sight. Still, in her heart, she blames James for her addiction to morphine.
McElwee is so thorough in her expressive voice and body language, it is uncanny. She seems to make everyone better. Cynthia Meier as director takes full advantage of the opportunities.
McGrath finds in his role a kind of pitiful sternness that does feel right for the times Manners and morals counted for everything in American society back then. It was the final year of the William Howard Taft administration.
James Tyrone was a celebrity for his day, he had appearances to maintain. But in those honest moments he realizes this approach to earning the respect and admiration of his family just wasn't working.
Jamie and Edmund, as young men just coming into their own, sadly reflect their father's influence on them, as well as his strong belief in every man's right to drink alcohol freely.
O'Neill intended “Long Day's Journey Into Night” to be an accurate depiction of the dynamic forces of love and hate that powered such a damaging undertow among his own parents, his older brother and himself.
But since the 1950s the America family structure of two parents who wed for life with a couple of kids to raise has completely crumbled as a building block of society. Now we watch and it can also seem perplexing why the Tyrones insisted on staying together when it was making everyone miserable.
All three men say they want to love and understand Mary. But at the same time they can't help feeling she is a burden. Mary feels it too.
The closest she gets to companionship with another female is from the grumpy housemaid Cathleen (Holly Griffith), whose own cynicism feels like a reflection of the family she works for.
As a theatrical experience, "Long Day's Journey Into Night" becomes a Rogue Theatre milestone. One that will be remembered for seasons to come.
The show runs through Sept. 29, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. matinees Saturdays and Sundays, in the Rogue Theatre, 300 E. University Blvd. in the Historic Y. Tickets are $42, with $15 student rush tickets 15 minutes before curtain when available. Valid student ID is required,
For details and reservations, 520-551-2055, or visit www.theroguetheatre,org
No comments:
Post a Comment