Joey Folsom and Clay Yocum star in The Classics Theatre Project’s ‘True West.’ (Courtesy photo)
Director Terry Martin weaved two highly contrasting performances into a remarkable tapestry of theater in The Classics Theatre Project’s new show True West. This family portrayal through the eyes of two brothers was gritty, unapologetic and dysfunctional. But the drama was all balanced by Shepard’s sense of humor and solid acting.
Set in the mid-80s, the kitchen scene is the hub of action where Lee, an Ivy League-degreed writer, tends to his vacationing mother’s houseplants and house while pecking away on his typewriter to finish the story he just sold for television. Older brother Lee is also present hovering over the preoccupied Lee asserting his own plans to check out the neighborhood for some valuable items to steal. The two haven’t spoken in five years.
As brothers Austin and Lee, Joey Folsom and Clay Yocum succeed in bringing a volatile relationship to life. They were immediately opposed starting with their appearances — Austin in his 80s appropriate casual preppy fashion and Lee in roughneck jeans and soiled, sleeveless shirt. But both of their portrayals of brothers at fundamentally deep odds with each other was astounding on last Friday’s opening night.
With the range of emotions and physicality he had to perform, Folsom was quite relaxed into his character. His Austin was strongly fleshed out and Folsom’s nuances in his performance added much to Austin’s demeanor. His composure in the first half was both contained and meek, but as Austin’s own frustration grew, Folsom’s performance blossomed into a stormy, drunken episode that unleashed his character’s vexation.
Clay Yocum was explosive from his first words. As the physically-imposing older brother who’s life fared much differently than his brother’s, Yocum’s Lee was a ticking time bomb. Like Folsom, Yocum had complete control of this character and frighteningly so. Lee was always bursting with loud words or glaring looks that could burn through anything. But also, Yocum managed to infuse the anger and outbursts with just the right amount of comic timing and inflection. So while Yocum scared the hell out of everyone, he was also and often a laugh-riot.
Michael Miller played the oily Hollywood producer Saul, complete with tracksuit and yellow-lens sunglasses. Miller was an unexpected delight who oozed that power player-vibe with a distinct swagger and smugness. Allyn Carrell made a late appearance as the brothers’ mom who came home early to see Picasso who was in town. Early scenes alluded to the mother’s cleanliness and when she entered, the kitchen had been trashed after a fight between the brothers. Carrell’s choices to underplay and almost not react was thus a bit confusing as was the Picasso thing. At the same time, her understated performance gave an added drama and urgency to the rage of her sons.
OK, can we talk about the set? Joey Folsom’s set and props were so conscientious in design. The cabinets, appliances and the most gorgeous retro dining set ever gave the show a distinct vibe of a dated kitchen with 70s kitsch in an 80s setting. Earth tones and yellows somehow punctuated the heat of SoCal but also the set felt claustrophobic to these big personalities battling it out on the floor either through words or wrestling moves.
True West was many things at once and in the hands of Martin and this strong cast, the experience of watching was both dreamlike and sometimes too damn real.
The show runs through Aug. 26 at the Stone Cottage in Addison.
–Rich Lopez