Review: SORRY: An Unfortunate Title for Third Installment of APPLE FAMILY PLAYS

Sorry

Written by Richard Nelson, Directed by Weylin Symes; Scenic Design, Crystal Tiala; Lighting Design, Jeff Adelberg; Costume Design, Gail Astrid Buckley; Sound Design, David Wilson; Props Master, Brendan Conroy; Production Stage Manager, Rachel Policare

CAST (in alphabetical order): Joel Colodner, Laura Latreille, Karen MacDonald, Bill Mootos, Sarah Newhouse

Performances through March 13 at Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA; Box Office 781-279-2200 or www.stonehamtheatre.org

Stoneham Theatre presents Sorry, the third installment of Richard Nelson's Apple Family Plays, bringing back the roster of actors who introduced us to the Apples of Rhinebeck, New York, last season in That Hopey Changey Thing. The latter took place in November, 2010, on the day of the midterm elections, and Nelson reunites the family on Election Day, 2012, with President Barack Obama facing off against former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. The political thread weaves through the fabric of the play, but the dramatic conflict in Sorry revolves around the emotionally-charged decision to place beloved Uncle Benjamin in a nursing home.

Barbara (Karen MacDonald) has borne the brunt of taking care of Uncle (Joel Colodner) in her home, and therefore she is the one who has the greatest internal struggle on this designated moving day. Her sisters Marian (Sarah Newhouse) and Jane (Laura Latreille) assure her that it is for the best, and brother Richard (Bill Mootos) tries to be supportive, but he lives in Manhattan and has mostly been out of the loop. For his part, Uncle is blissfully unaware of the machinations going on around him, but his erratic mood and behavior indicate that this prescribed action is warranted and necessary.

Nelson zeroes in on a hot-button issue in our society with a laser-like focus as countless American families have faced or will face the issue of what to do about an aging, failing relative. Not all siblings have the same close ties that are shared by the four Apples, and a major decision can force a wedge between even the closest offspring. The Stoneham cast conveys a strong, credible unity among the foursome, even as each has their moment of doubt about following through with the plan. Their feelings are palpable, permeating their conversations in the early morning hours while they share breakfast, work on a jigsaw puzzle, and catch up on each other's lives.

The playwright penetrates the personalities of his characters more deeply than in either of the two previous chapters (Sweet and Sad was performed at Gloucester Stage last summer) and the five actors capably plumb the depths, letting us see how they are affected by the heartbreaking struggle. However, the flip side of that coin is that there is much less emphasis on the political elephant in the room, a topic that Nelson has mined in the other two plays to greater effect. Also, the family spends an inordinate amount of time setting the table, eating and drinking, and clearing the dishes. While this makes it feel as though we are observing a real family in real time, it does nothing to advance the story or resolve the issues at hand; rather, it triggers one's digestive juices and sets off the inner time-for-dinner bell. By the anti-climactic end of the play, when Uncle wakes up from a long nap, it seems like he didn't miss much more than a lot of calories.

The four-play cycle will conclude with New Repertory Theatre's production of Regular Singing at the start of the 2016-2017 season at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown. Director Weylin Symes, the cast, scenery, and props will definitely be going on the road with the show, although the design team (Crystal Tiala - scenic, Jeff Adelberg - lighting, Gail Astrid Buckley - costume, David Wilson - sound) has not yet been confirmed. Paul Melendy will be returning to the ensemble for the final entry.

Photo credit: Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Shots (Bill Mootos, Joel Colodner, Sarah Newhouse, Karen MacDonald, Laura Latreille)

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