The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
'Roses' fails to bloom
"The Subject Was Roses"
By Sandi Kasha, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 1, 2007
Watching his parents wallow in mutual misery wasn't what Timmy Cleary had in mind when he returned home from World War II.
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What Timmy forgot was that his parents' contempt for one another has been the persistent theme of their marriage for sometime. At least that's the impression one gets.
It's the basis of marital anguish that's central in the Purple Rose Theatre's latest production "The Subject Was Roses," which continues through March 17.
This version of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize winning drama just isn't compelling. It's another generic tale of a dysfunctional family trying to understand why they're dysfunctional in the first place.
Purple Rose's top-notch reputation for exceptional productions can't save its latest piece. It's not surprising. And it's not entertaining.
It's nothing but an extended episode of "The Honeymooners," threaded with unsettling patterns of aggression, bitterness and unhappiness.
After an overseas stint in combat that transformed Timmy from a scrawny boy to a confident man, he realized that the real battle was happening between his parents.
John and Nettie Cleary are a middle-aged couple mentally rattled by two decades of underlying tension and emotional restriction.
Their son's reentrance into the family fold becomes the catalyst for a painful assessment of the family dynamics that has been avoided for a number of years.
Timmy unintentionally brings his parents' stifling misery to the surface when he buys Nettie a dozen roses, then urges his father to take credit.
It's never known why the Cleary's marriage started disintegrating, but it's hinted that the couple have long accepted their despair like its part of their daily routine.
Despite a monotonous script, the actors give deeply felt performances.
Krause and Mountain's startling depiction of an emotionally adrift couple, who console themselves by being verbally malicious toward each other, is strikingly engaging in their emotional dexterity.
And the set design is impressive, reminiscent of yesteryear's Technicolor brilliance. The characters' drab costumes are complemented by splashes of teal, orange and yellow.
But the bright colors can't save the black and white plot.
Perhaps the lifeless storyline is a deliberate ploy to psychologically drag the audience into the couples' dreary, tense world.
If that's the case, then it's the only part of the play worth applauding.
Behind the scenes: Written by Frank D. Gilroy; directed by Quintessa Gallinat; set design by Bartley H. Bauer; costume design by Christianne Myers; lighting design by Dana White; sound design by Joel Klain; prop design by Danna Segrest; stage manager by Katie M. Doral.
"The Subject Was Roses"
Written by: Frank D. Gilroy
Directed by: Quintessa Gallinat
Set Design: Bartley H. Bauer
Costume Design: Christianne Myers
Lighting Design: Dana White
Sound Design: Joel Klain
Prop Design: Danna Segrest
Stage Manager: Katie M. Doral
Cast of Characters
Grant R. Krause (John Cleary), Michelle Mountain (Nettie Cleary) and Patrick Michael Kenney (Timmy Cleary).
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