Review: FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE at 710 Main Theatre

BUFFALO FAMILY STRUGGLES AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 1974

Buffalo born playwrights and authors often have used their hometown as their setting, from A.R. Gurney to Tom Dudzick to Lauren Belfer. Now we can add Laura Pedersen, whose FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE opened the 710 Main Theatre season last night. Having played Off-Broadway last season under the title of THE BRIGHTNESS OF HEAVEN, this version has been renamed and broken into 2 short acts vs it's single act version at The Cherry Lane Theatre. Buffalonians love stories that take place in their backyard, but the tumultuous political times of the early 70's could play out in any suburban working class city.

Set in 1974 in an Irish Catholic home reminiscent of many of those in South Buffalo, we meet the Kilgannon family , as well as the patricarch's sister and her 2 children. The Kilgannon parents are school teachers in a Catholic High School and their 3 grown children reunite to celebrate the father, Ed's, 30th anniversary of teaching. Theirs is a home based on heavy Roman Catholic values during a time when Watergate was the scandal du jour, the changes of Vatican II were still uncomfortable to many, and the effects of Vietnam War were still palpable. Pedersen clearly writes of the difficult times that many families were experiencing during the late 60's and early 70's, coping with children who looked outside of the Catholic faith and longed for their own personalities, vs. those imposed on them by their parents.

Ed, played by Peter Davenport, was clearly the easier of the two parents, helping each child cope with their growing pains. Davenport was likeable as the Patriarch who would play hooky from Church and longed for a life in the theatre. Kate Kearney-Patch, as his wife Joyce, was the straight laced wife who wanted her children to follow in her footsteps, without veering from the teachings of Catholic Church. Kearny-Patch, with her red hair and motherly deportment, was thoroughly convincing as the doting homemaker from the "Leave it to Beaver" era of the 1950's. Therein lies some of the family's issues- it's now 1974 and the Mother has not aligned her her social values with the changing times.

Aunt Mary, played by Paula Ewin, exemplified the typical God fearing woman whose life revolved around Church functions, Bingo and Friday fish frys. Having lost her husband in the Korean war, her life seems meaningless and we learn she contemplates suicide. Here dutiful daughter Grace (Emily Batsford) resentfully cares for her, mostly as a chauffer, while her gay son, Jimmy, is too much of an embarrasment to even discuss. Batsford dry delivery lent for many laughs, while also giving a glimpse at her lonely life. Ms. Ewin reminded many of that Aunt was quotes the Bible too much and is blinded by faith instead of accepting her own reality.

Jimmy was played deftly by James Michael Lambert. Jimmy showed up to this family function under duress, and proselytizes to all of them, ala the frustrated Meathead character in All in the Family. Dealing with homosexuality in a Catholic household is always a difficult subject, but in being an out man in the early 70's, he was deemed a heretic. You felt Lambert's passion for wanting to be accepted and educating his family about his lifestyle, but despite his attempts, they all want nothing to do with the topic, and his Mother insists he will be condemned to Hell. Lambert's frustration was palpable in his body language and gestures.

Brendan, the radical son who moved to New York to pursue a failed acting career, was played by Bill Coyne. Picture a rebel who seeks greater opportunities but ultimately is shot down and turns to alcohol. Mr. Coyne put on an outwardly happy go lucky exterior while often exposing his inner demons. Daniel J. Self, was Dennis, the obedient son who wants nothing more than to please his family. Mr.Self appeared timid and self conscious in his role and lacked conviction in the first act. Only when confronting his sister in Act II did he begin to show some backbone.

On opening night the pacing in ACT I lagged and pick ups on lines were slow. Direction by Ludovica Villar-Hauser was efficent, but the large apron of the stage was left for a playing area, and often was underutilized. This resulted in an unnecessary distancing between the audience and the on stage action. The brief intermission seemed oddly placed and probably was not necessary. Pacing improved significantly in ACT II during an extended family dinner, where the generation gap caused signifcant rancor between the parents and their children. Their only daughter, Kathleen, has the meatiest of the roles and Kendall Rileigh really shone. Looking stylish in her 70's garb and long red hair, her ascent to a branch manager of a bank, instead of the usual school teacher or nurse, was something of which the family could be proud. Unfortunately, the choices in her personal life lead to secrets of the past that her mother is not willing to accept. Rileigh was perfect as the frustrated, angst ridden daughter who longed for bother parents approval, but truly only had her father's. Rileigh and Kearney-Patch sparred wit heach other and each attempted to assert their own convictions. The final scene led a glimmer of how life may change for the Kilgannon family.

Quoting catechism and singing hymns bordered on kitsch and being unlikely, but this is a home where dad teaches music and mom dropped out of the convent to become a wife and teach home economics, so maybe such things do happen in The Kilgannon household. The barbershop quartet singing of the men in the family, as well as a family singalong, helped the audience appreciate how important being Irish and family values were to the entire group.

Costuming by Meganne George was appropriatedly evocative of the early 70's with palazzo pants and culottes, geometric patterns and lots of leather coats for the young adults. The drab home set, also by George, suggested a working class bungalow, complete with photographs of John F. Kennedy and the Pope beside a statue of the Virgin Mary and a crucifix. While the Western New York dialect is indeed unique with its flat A's, the cast often mistook the dialect as being more from Minnesota than Buffalo.

References to Your Host restaurant, the Buffalo Bills, being "sent to Father Baker," and the Allentown Art Festival had the attentive audience laughing at all the appropriate times. Great one liners about growing up Catholic and potentially marrying out side of the Catholic faith produced lines like "Mixed fruits make Toxic Jam."

Then, as now, families are breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church and it's beliefs. Children no longer attend Mass as much as their parents, or grandparents did. And discussions regarding homosexuality and gay marriage , rules of divorce and annulments, as well as lack of people joining the religious order continue. FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE gives a glimpse of what religion can do to help guide some, while also serving as a divisive entity for others.

FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE plays at 710 Main Theatre through October 4, 2015. For further information and tickets, visit Shea's Box Office, 1-800-745-3000, www.sheas.org/710main/, or TICKETMASTER.COM.