Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Salve Regina University’s fall show this year at the historic Casino Theatre in Newport is “Brighton Beach Memoirs” by Neil Simon. It is an autobiographical play about Simon’s family relationships both good and bad including sibling rivalries both past and present, parent and child authority issues and the hilarious escapades of a 15 year old boy’s entry into puberty. The play isn’t only beautifully written but has some strong acting in it, too. Director Patricia Hawkridge infuses her college cast with the dramatic and comic moments the script calls for creating a crowd pleasing show that the audience can savor and enjoy thoroughly. Their brilliant performance is rewarded with a spontaneous standing ovation. It was like watching a professional theatre company perform this show.
Her blocking is splendid as are the New York accents of the whole cast. Patricia gives each member of her talented cast their moments to shine in this phenomenal show. Bradley Simpson tackles the role of Eugene with high energy, fabulous acting skills with expertise in not only the comic moments but in the poignant ones, too. He narrates the happenings of his family as well as playing this 15 year old boy. Eugene’s close relationship with his brother comes through in the sex talk scene about naked breasts, wet dreams and puberty itself as well as in Stanley’s leaving home scene, too which is incredibly poignant. Bradley has marvelous interactions with the whole cast and delivers a tour de force performance in this iconic role. He wins many laughs while delivering Simon’s one liners like whispering the name of a disease and the day being historic because he felt his first breasts against his chest.
Freshman Skylar Lasit plays Stanley, Eugene’s older brother. Stanley feels like a failure because Eugene does well in school and is bound for college. Skylar conveys his warmth for his younger brother, Eugene when he hugs him goodbye and his need for acceptance from his father which is a tearjerking moment between father and son with the pathos flowing out to the audience. He is fabulous in this role and is also very funny in the sex talk sequence where one of the funniest lines is if you don’t diddle with yourself your voice won’t change. The audience can empathize with Stanley with his gambling problems and almost losing his job.
Julia Curtin and Danny Landino play their parents, Kate and Jack superbly. Julia’s Kate is a strong willed who does not bend when her family is in trouble. Her best dramatic scenes are the confrontation with Stanley and Blanche while the funny moments include chastising Eugene for not eating his liver, for eating cookies and for playing baseball too noisily. One of Act 2 lines that’s funny is “Worriers marry fainters.” Her strongest dramatic moment occurs in the argument with Blanche which leaves you in tears. Danny fleshes out Jack by his warmth for his wife, sons, sister-in-law and nieces. His sage advice to them helps the other characters solve their problems. The audience enjoys it when he reassures Stanley of his love and forgiveness for his mistakes which is poignant. His most incredible scene occurs when he explodes at his wife and sister-in-law during their argument which brought me to tears.
Madisyn Mugavero plays Blanche, Kate’s weak willed sister excellently. Neil Simon uses the character in the exposition scenes and later on it the show is when the part turns meatier. This is during her argument scene with Kate and her daughter, Nora. This is when Blanche finally develops a backbone to stand up for herself. It is a gut wrenching scene between Blanche and Kate as well as Blanche and Nora. Madisyn is also a superb vocalist but in this show she displays strong acting comically as well as dramatically.
Vanessa Sciolto plays Nora terrifically especially in the dramatic moments. She misses her dead father, takes out her resentment on her mother and dates an older boy. Vanessa shows the hurt and resentment on her face and is very angry when she can’t audition for the Broadway producer. She and Madisyn as the mother make the scene between daughter and mother extremely poignant. Her funniest scene occurs when she accidentally walks in on Eugene in the bathroom. Rounding out the cast is Morgan Salpietro as Laurie, Blanche’s youngest daughter. The character has a heart flutter so she is coddled and babied. Her uncle sees through her facade and puts her to work to do all the chores she’s been shirking. So for a very well written Neil Simon show, be sure to catch “Brighton Beach Memoirs” at Salve Regina University. The historic Casino Theatre was built by Stanford White in 1881 and became an historical landmark in 1987 and seats 295 audience members. Run do not walk to the box office before this powerful show’s time runs out. Special praise for the lighting and three story house set by Barbara “Pippin” McGowan, the beautiful, fantastic wigs and make-up by Joe Rossi and the gorgeous period costumes by David Costa-Cabral.
BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS ( 18 to 21 October)
Salve Regina University, Casino Theatre, 9 Freebody Street, Newport, RI
1(401)341-2250 or www.tinyurl.com/salvecasinom
