[NEohioPAL] God's Favorite at Western Reserve Playhouse

[Marie Dusini]

Lifestyle 
WRP’s ‘God’s Favorite’ is audience favorite
6/11/2009 - West Side Leader
       By Roger Durbin


Production features strong acting
 
Sharing a scene in Western Reserve Playhouse’s production of “God’s Favorite” are, from left, Alan Klesh, Linda Waranai, Theresa Boyd, Nathaniel Montgomery, Adam Rady and Jessica Montgomery. 
Photo courtesy of Western Reserve Playhouse BATH — On opening weekend, which was June 5-6, Western Reserve Playhouse’s (WRP) production of Neil Simon’s “God’s Favorite” caught the fancy of the audience. The rollicking, thoughtful two-act, three-scene comedy will play through June 20.
Under Jim Volkert’s direction, the play gets off to a fast-paced start when a would-be burglar/messenger from God sets off an alarm (in more ways than one) in the mansion residence of the Benjamin family. The plot essentially is a retelling of the Biblical Job story as set on Long Island. Joe Benjamin (Alan Klesh) holds unerringly in his firm love for his God and his errant family — even the recalcitrant and disrespectful alcohol-driven son David Benjamin (Adam Rady) — despite both the endless temptations to avoid the miseries that are being visited upon him and an equally nonstop harangue by God’s messenger — in the guise of Sidney Lipton (Bob Yavorsky).
Stripped of all material wealth, his home destroyed by fire, his eldest son disappearing just when he needs him most, his beloved wife becoming fed up with the way things are going, and riddled with sores and itchy rashes, Joe hangs tough. The idea resolves itself when Sidney asks him how he can love a God that makes him so miserable. Joe replies, as a way of explaining his steadfastness, “My son David makes me miserable and I still love him,” so why, he suggests, would he abandon God when he actually needs him most.
It’s a sobering thought, filled with notions of faith, love and trust that get played out through zany comedy. To pull it off, the play needs strong actors — and WRP’s production is filled with them.
Klesh was onstage constantly and had the unenviable task of working with the wordy script set out by Simon. Klesh did an admirable job, hanging in there himself with some rather long speeches. An actor needs a big reserve of energy, not so much for the big dramatic scenes (like Joe’s poignant reconciliation with son David) but in the patter of recitation that sets the conflict in motion. Sometimes a kind of flatness showed in Klesh’s overall performance, but the sparkle he brought to the strongly emotional scenes in Act II rescued him.
Yavorsky, who says he is new to acting, did a bang up job as the Sidney Lipton character. He spluttered, fluttered and pranced all over the stage and along the way beguiled the audience with his portrayal of a messenger of God as being incredibly self-absorbed and ironically vulnerable.
Real-life husband and wife team Nathaniel and Jessica Montgomery (as the Benjamin twins Ben and Sarah) pushed their roles to near caricature, but pulled back enough to come across as just plain funny.
Rady’s David Benjamin was counterpoint to the other characters — sober in thought in his drunkenness, ever observant even when he was blind drunk and dead-on truthful while others were trying to develop illusory lives for themselves. His transformation in the second act into a dutiful, caring family member was endearing, making his character into probably the most likeable of the lot.
In their supporting roles, Theresa Boyd (Mandy), Matthew Wilks (Morris) and Linda Waranai (Joe’s wife, Rose) came into their own in the second act — when they actually got to do something instead of being foils for other characters. Boyd is hysterical on the stage — over-the-top and refreshing.
The set and costumes were adequate to tell the tale. Although they probably didn’t speak as well as they could to the money the Benjamin family had, the illusion of wealth was enough. The second act portrayal of the ruined charred house and the tattered clothing of the family and servants were particularly effective.
When leaving the theater, audience members were buzzing, saying things like “I’m coming back to see this again,” and “I’ve seen this play in another place, but this is the best.” Those are great compliments for a well-managed and nicely directed play.
For tickets, call (330) 620-7314.
Roger Durbin is professor emeritus of bibliography at The University of Akron and an avid theater-goer. To contact him, e-mail r.durbin at sbcglobal.net.
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