Absorbing, overpowering 'Appropriate' on sprawling Trinity stage

By Don Fowler
Posted 10/12/16

Theatre Review By DON FOWLER Trinity Repertory Company has tackled the sprawling, overpowering, absorbing Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play about yet another dysfunctional family, packing it into the smaller downstairs Dowling Theatre. Jacobs-Jenkins is an

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Absorbing, overpowering 'Appropriate' on sprawling Trinity stage

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Trinity Repertory Company has tackled the sprawling, overpowering, absorbing Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play about yet another dysfunctional family, packing it into the smaller downstairs Dowling Theatre.

Jacobs-Jenkins is an up-and-coming African-American playwright who has imagined a southern white family fighting each other and their own demons, while dealing with the blatant prejudices of the past and present.

The family has gathered at their rundown “plantation” following the grandfather’s death to salvage what they can through an estate sale/auction. Frank, the prodigal son (Mauro Hantman), returns after 10 years with his 23-year-old opinionated girlfriend, River (Marina Morrisey), seeking and offering forgiveness for past actions.

Every family member has his or her dark secrets, prejudices and strong opinions, which clash at every turn. The biggest secret of all lies in a photo album that belonged to the deceased grandfather, turning the gathering into a shambles.

Phyllis Kay plays the daughter, Toni, with a passion that is filled with regret, anger, guilt, self-pity and a strong prejudice toward her Jewish sister-in-law, Rachel (Angela Brazil), married to Bo (Fred Sullivan Jr.), who tries his best to keep things from becoming completely unglued.

Conflict, both verbal and physical, surrounds the events as family members try to make sense out of the grandfather’s past. Was he merely a reflection of the times?

Director Brian Mertes has chosen to use a giant curtain to separate the audience from the prop-strewn set (with the tallest bookcase in the world). The set fills the stage from left to right without causing sight line problems.

One problem needs to be dealt with, especially in Act II, which opens with River and granddaughter Cassidy (Emeline Easton) engaged in deep conversation at stage left. The audience at stage right missed some important lines.

“Appropriate” is easily accessible at times and disjointed at other times. I was totally engrossed in the first act, wandered a bit in the second act, and lost some interest in the third act, especially when the family engaged in one long donnybrook.

As a total production, “Appropriate” is overwhelming. Jacobs-Jenkins has a lot to say through his characters, and a little cutting might make the play tighter, especially in the second and third acts.

The acting, as always, is first rate. The range of emotions shown by Kay and Brazil matches anything you’ll see on any stage. Sullivan again proves that his depth as an actor is deep. Hantman proves that he can play any role and make it his. Plus, Trinity never fails to discover new and new-to-Trinity actors that make even the smallest of roles important to the whole.

“Appropriate” is an important play worth seeing, mainly because of the acting. I just wish that it had left me with a bigger impact at the end.

“Appropriate” is at Trinity Rep through November 6. Call 351-4242 for reservations.

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