by Alec Clayton
 |
| Meigie Mabry and John Pratt as Ethel and Norman Thayer, photo by Austin Lang |
On Golden Pond, written by Ernest Thompson and
directed by Kendra Malm for Olympia Little Theatre, is a sweet, touching, funny
story about aging, about facing death, about family strife and perhaps most of
all about a crotchety and wisecracking old man learning —
perhaps in the nick of time — how to express his love for his wife and
daughter.
It
is not a Christmas play; in fact, it is set in the summer. And this reviewer for
one is glad they decided not to do a Christmas play this holiday season. Jews, Muslims,
and people who practice religions other than Christianity and atheists who are part
of our community are bombarded with a slew of Christian-related entertainment
every year at this time, and I applaud OLT’s decision to present a warm and
tender show about the love of family with no manger scenes and no Santa Claus.
 |
| Oliver Garcia as Billy Ray and John Pratt as Norman, photo by Austin Lang |
Veteran
actor John Pratt plays Norman Thayer, the crusty old man at the heart of the
play. I had the pleasure of interviewing Pratt and Malm, along with Christian
Carvajal, for the OLY ARTS “Sound Stages” podcast, and he told us he was 79
years old. Norman is 79 when the play opens and celebrates his 80th
birthday during act one. Pratt told us of many other ways in which he is like
Norman. Even if he were not an outstanding actor, which he is, he would be the
ideal person to play Norman, and that is evident from the moment he walks onto
the set, a beautifully built rustic cottage designed for OLT by Christopher
Valcho. Pratt becomes Norman, just as Valcho’s set becomes their old cabin on
Golden Pond, a cabin that shows with excellent detail in the marks of 48 years
of the Thayer family living out their summers there.
Norman
believes it is going to be his last summer in the lake cabin. He has heart
palpitations and is convince he will not live out the summer. At least that’s
what he tells his wife, Ethel (Meigie Mabry) —over and over and over. But Ethel
puts little stock in his dire predictions of impending death because he’s been
saying he’s going to die soon for decades. Norman puts everybody on with
brilliantly barbed humor that borders on vicious, and Ethel knows he doesn’t
mean a word of it. His crustiness is a cover for his inability to express
sensitive feelings.
Their
daughter Chelsea (Lorana Hoopes) stops by the cabin for a short visit with her
boyfriend, Bill Ray (Garrett Shelton) and Ray’s 13-year-old son, Billy Ray
(Oliver Garcia). Chelsea and Norman clash as they have done all her life. She
says they’ve always been mad at each other, and Norman retorts, “I didn't think we were mad; I just thought we didn't
like each other.”
When
Chelsea and Bill leave Billy Ray with her parents for the summer, Norman bonds
with Billy Ray and has, for a short time, the kind of relationship Chelsea
wishes she could have had with her father when she was growing up. Fishing with
Billy Ray and introducing him to his favorite books (he is a retired English
professor), rejuvenates Norman.
Except
for Pratt, all the cast members are relatively new to OLT. Mabry was seen in
OLT’s recent production of All the Kings’
Woman, and Garcia played the young Galileo in Starry Messenger. None have extensive acting experience, but you’d
never suspect it from their thoroughly professional acting in this play. They portray
their characters as down-to-earth, flawed but likeable people. Dean Phillips
who plays Charlie the mailman is a charming frequent visitor to the cabin on
the lake.
Note:
The play was written in the 1970s and set in that time period. By today’s
standards, some of Norman’s witticisms are politically incorrect, if not
downright offensive, but as directed by Malm and acted by Pratt, it is clear to
the audience that he doesn’t really mean those things but is just trying to get
a rise out of Ethel — which never really works.
On Golden Pond, 7:25 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday and 1:55 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 17 Olympia Little Theatre, 1925 Miller
Ave., NE,Olympia,
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