BWW Reviews: Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Opens Season with YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's classic play, You Can't Take It With You, has been given a wonderfully performed and staged presentation by the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. This venerable favorite is brought to life in splendid fashion, with a superb cast proving that Kaufman and Hart's punchlines still hold up over 70 after the fact, and that some of the them, especially those regarding the ways in which our government spends our tax dollars, still ring resoundingly true and clear today.

This is a familiar tale of a couple from opposite sides of the track who struggle with reconciling the differences between their classes. Although, in this play, most of this line of thinking is emanating from Alice Sycamore, and her own sense of shame concerning her extended family's eccentricities. Her paramour, Tony Kirby, is more open minded, and purposely brings his family to dinner a night early to prove a point. Of course, things goes horribly, horribly wrong. But, when romance is involved, these matters have a way of working themselves out.

Amelia McClain and Benjamin Eakeley make an attractive pair of romantic leads as Alice and Tony, respectively. McClain plays flustered well, and neatly treads the fine line between being both ashamed of, and proud of, her wacky relatives. Eakeley maintains an affable and charming air throughout, even under the worst of circumstances. Joneal Joplin is splendidly warm and genuine as the family partriarch, Martin Vanderhof, delivering his speeches/prayers with a believable sense of earnestness, and good humor, while anchoring this production. Tony Campisi does nice, understated work as Alice's father Paul, who's fond of fireworks and erector sets, while Carol Schultz enlivens the proceedings considerably as her play writing mother, Penny.

The exceptionally talented supporting cast includes: Stephanie Cozart as the confection-creating Essie, who's forever practicing her ballet, even though she shows little aptitude for it; Jamie LaVerdiere as her goofy husband Ed, who plays the xylophone and runs his own printing press; Anderson Mathews as Essie's over-stuffed and hilariously funny ballet teacher, Boris Kolenkhov; Barbara Kingsley as the spiritualism-obsessed mother Kirby, as well as her enthusiastic portrayal of the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina; Jeffrey Hayenga as Tony's repressed and uptight father; Rachel Leslie as Rheba, the sassy live-in cook; Scott Whitehurst as her accordion-playing boyfriend Donald; Scott Schafer as Mr. De Pinna, who aids Paul in his combustible hobbies, as well as posing for one of Penny's occasional stabs at painting; Susie Wall as a boozy actress who comes to read one of Penny's plays; and Todd Lawson as both a persistent IRS agent, and a "J-Man" investigating the provocative leaflets that Ed has been distributing along with Essie's candies.

Stephen Woolf's stellar direction keeps the action moving along nicely, and his attention to detail adds depth to the laughter. John Ezell's wonderfully constructed, and marvelously appointed scenic design conjures up the era with aplomb. Peter Sargent's solid lighting scheme and Elizabeth Covey's period costumes, add to the overall mood as well.

At it's core, You Can't Take It With You play examines the choices we make in our lives, and how important it is to follow where your heart leads you, continually pursuing happiness, even when the path to it is sometimes obscured by our own ambitions and fears.

The Repertory of St. Louis begins their season with a bang with Kaufman and Hart's explosively funny play You Can't Take It With You. This terrific production runs through October 3, 2010 at the Loretto-Hilton.

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