Review: Washington Stage Guild's GULF VIEW DRIVE Completes Trilogy

Washington Stage Guild in its time has accomplished a number of serialized works over the years, including just about all of Shaw. But few have been so optimally presented as the Arlene Hutton trilogy that ends with the current "Gulf View Drive."

Not only does it complete a story that began with "Last Train to Nibroc" two years ago and "See Rock City" last year, it has the rare luck of scoring the same central cast, deepening and strengthening their bonds -- and performances -- each time.

At the heart of the story are the young couple May and Raleigh Brummett, delightfully played by Lexi Langs and Wood Van Meter. The two, who met on a train in the first play just as Wold War II was beginning, and were just returning from their honeymoon in the second, are now are settled along the coast on the Florida panhandle where the warm breezes don't make them immune to problems.

Both mothers-in-law are in the cinder block house with them - Laura Giannarelli's hilariously beastly Mrs. Brummett and Lynn Steinmetz' kindlier Mrs. Gill - both of whom were also in the last play. And things get to be even more crowded with the latest addition to the story, Raleigh's younger sister Treva, a languid layabout who is on a kind of sabbatical from her family life in small town Kentucky and looking for some new direction following the death of her father.

In this new role Chelsea Mayo fits well with the solid ensemble while providing some of the plot complications.

It is Raleigh's success as a children's book author that allowed him to pay for the house with cash. But it is his need to keep writing that is threatened by a houseful of family that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. First he hauls his typewriter out to the back porch that they call the lanai (and is the central set of the play). Then he buys a boat where he might be able to work in peace.

But he can't get away from the complications of their marriage - she's got her pressures as a literature teacher; he's causing suspicion by hanging out with writers which may involve a little card playing; there are roadblocks on their road to having children. All the while, their mothers are trading off dinner duties and slowly chipping away at bliss and obliterating privacy.

Van Meter plays Raleigh as a man down to his last nerve ready to make his stand in a house full of women; Langs' May is frustrated that she's the last to hear of a lot of things happening that may affect her. The time frame is the mid-50s, and while there are hints of national changes particularly in discussion of racial issues, there's still nobody of color on stage.

Hutton's plays include a lot of naturalistic dialog that often include a lot of repetition among characters in their give and take. It's a splendidly talented cast that under the direction of Bill Largess that each handle their accents admirably. The crisp costuming by Sigrid Johannesdottir and Phoebe Workman (topped by stylish period hairstyles) help place the time as does the well researched audio of Frank DiSalvo. Of course, the actors couldn't ask for better preparation for their well-defined characters than having embodied their development in the past two plays. It's a pleasure to watch them work here.

With the ability to stand on its own as entertainment, "Gulf View Drive" seems more complete than the previous "See Rock City" even as it leaves the door open for future installments, should they ever materialize. Let's hope Hutton tries that before the marvelous cast slips too far away.

For those new to the story who would like a bit of a backstory, the previous plays were scheduled for readings. "Last Train to Nibroc" was Jan. 23; but "See Rock City" is set Jan. 30.

Running time: Two hours, 15 minutes with one intermission.

Photo credit: Lexi Langs and Wood Van Meter in "Gulf View Drive." Photo by C. Stanley Photography.

"Gulf View Drive" continues through Feb. 10 at the Washington Stage Guild, performing in the Undercroft Theatre at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Chuch, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets at 240-582-0050 or online.

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