[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWSERS (CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE}

[Roy Berko]

Get some good
advice from Ann Landers at CPH; Fusion Fest preview
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American
Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES
NEWSPAPERS--
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While sitting in
the audience on opening night of ‘THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS,’ the personal
story of Eppie Lederer, known to many as Ann Landers, my mind flashed back
to  when I was a youngster and on
Thursday afternoons my maternal grandmother would sit my cousins and I down and
read us Bintl Briv,an advice
column published in The Jewish Forwardnewspaper.   Tears
would flow from her eyes as the counsel was given regarding problems of people,
real people in turmoil.  They had
turned to whom many perceived to be their only source of wise advice.
 
Ann Landers (Eppie
Friedman Lederer) and her twin sister (Dear Abby/Pauline [Popo] Friedman)
fulfilled that same role.  They
were THE two mid-to-late 20th century newspaper advice givers to
millions of Americans who found the duo to be a font of information and
knowledge.  
 
As competing
columnists, the two sisters had a discordant relationship. They publicly
reconciled in 1964, but hostility between them persisted.  Though they gave advice on how to their
lives to millions of readers, they never quite learned how to deal with their
own sibling rivalry.
 
The original
"Ann Landers" was Ruth Crowley, a Chicago nurse who wrote the
syndicated column from 1942 until her death in 1955. Lederer took over on
October 16, 1955 and continued writing until her death.  She chose not to have a different
writer continue the column.
 
Lederer sometimes
expressed unpopular opinions. She favored legalization of prostitution, wrote
in support of equal rights for homosexuals, though she described homosexuality
as "unnatural."   She spoke out for the rights of women, especially telling those ladies
who were being abused by their husbands, to “dump them.”  
 
In her column of
July 1, 1975, Lederer wrote, "The sad, incredible fact is, that after 36
years of marriage, Julius and I are being divorced." She received 30,000
sympathetic letters in response.  
That divorce is
the hub around which ‘THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS’ pivots.
 
Written by David
Rambo in a breezy “let me talk to you” style, the format lets Mimi Kennedy, who
plays Eppie, speak directly to the audience.  She does so with assurance and ease, and makes a natural
presentation that is filled with some light humor, a little pathos, and is
gently provocative.   Director
Seth Gordon let Kennedy do her thing, and she does it extremely well.
 
Kennedy, who is
best known for playing Abby, Dharma’s hippie mom, on the ABC sitcom ‘DHARMA AND
GREG,’ is an anti-war activist who emceed Dennis Kucinich’s  announcement in his run for the presidency
last year.  
 
Tom Burch’s set is
elegant, as befits a woman of wealth and good taste, with an keen eye to
architectural design and furnishings.  Charlotte Yemen’s clothing choices are appropriate.
 
CAPSULE
JUDGMENT:  ‘THE LADY WITH ALL THE
ANSWERS’ is a pleasant and informative script which gets a goold production at
CPH.   It’s a pleasure to
watch Mimi Kennedy, in her Ann Landers helmet-like bouffant hair-do, transform
herself into Eppie Lederer.
 
‘THE LADY WITH ALL
THE ANSWERS’ runs through April 19.  For tickets call 216-795-7000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
 
CLEVELAND PLAY
HOUSE’S FUSION FEST
 
Fusion Fest, a
celebration of new works in music, dance, and theatre, runs at the Cleveland
Play House from April 29-May 10.  It is supported by Roe Green and her foundation.  Offerings include ‘HEAVEN’S MY
DESTINATION,’ a new play adapted by Lee Blessing; Master puppeteer Basic
Twist’s ‘GODUGAESHI,’ Charles Ross’s ‘ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILGOY;’ Verb Ballet’s
‘FUSIONFEST ALL-STARS;’ Karamu’s ‘MINSTREL SHOW OR THE LYNCHING OF WILLIAM
BROWN;’ the Cleveland Orchestra’s ‘AMERICAN MUSIC;’ Jewish Community Center’s
Dorothy Silver Playwriting award winning play; and readings of new plays by
Cleveland playwrights Eric Coble’s ‘A GUIDE TO COFFEE,’ and Faye Sholiton’s
U.S. v. Howard Mechanic.”
 
For a schedule
and/or tickets, call 216-795-7000 extension 4 or go on line to
clevelandplayhouse.com.