The Rubicon Theatre has come up with a great show for the holidays: George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s You Can’t Take It With You. The set by Gary Wissmann is outstanding and readily accommodates this nineteen-character play, which takes place in the New York City home of Martin Vanderhof, the patriarch of a large, loving, and very eccentric family.
In addition to Martin, who gave up work 35 years ago to pursue his own idiosyncratic interests (snakes, commencement addresses), we find his daughter Penny - played simply by one of my favorite actors, Robin Pearson Rose - who writes, but never seems to finish, melodramatic plays. Then there is her husband (Leonard Kelly Young), who together with lodger Mr. DePinna (Jamie Torcellini, often seen in musicals) periodically create fireworks in the basement.
The rest of the family isn’t much saner: the terrible ballerina (Sonia Sanz), her wild Russian teacher (Paul Ainsley), and the straight daughter Alice, played winningly by Winslow Corbett, who loves her family but wants to marry into her boyfriend's (the handsome Rick Collette) straight-laced family. His parents, perfectly played by George Backman and Allison Coutts-Jordon, object, and there in lies the conflict. In the end they are all untied by Grandpa (lovingly played by Robin Gammell) with the realization that love is the most important thing, and the belief that people should be left alone to do what they want as long as others aren’t hurt in the bargain.
Outstanding in this impressive group of actors, most of whom are regulars on the Rubicon stage, is, surprisingly, Stephanie Zimbalist, who takes on two roles: the eccentric drunk actress Gay Wellington, and the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina, a local waitress. I say surprising because although we knew she had a sense of humor from her days on Remington Steele, who knew she was also a great physical comedienne? Her drunken actress is one of the funniest portrayals I have seen in years. She alone is worth the price of admission.
The play is well directed by another regular, Jenny Sullivan. She keeps things moving and could, in fact, afford to allow her cast to go even faster, because they know what they are doing. Have yourself a grand old time and go see You Can’t Take It With You at the Rubicon Theatre through Dec. 23.
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