The dysfunctional families described in plays by Edward Albee, Harold Pinter and Tennessee Williams are extremely dysfunctional, but they can't hold a candle to the Tyrones, created–and lived–by Eugene O'Neill in "Long Day's Journey Into Night." The searing drama opened last night in a solid production by Muddy Waters Theatre, and will run through Nov. 21 at the Kranzberg Arts Center.
Cameron Ulrich's clean, careful direction brings fine work from the entire cast, led by Kari Ely as Mary Tyrone, who mourns her life in a morphine-induced haze. Robert Ashton is her husband, James, a world-class tyrannical cheapskate who uses whiskey to fuel his dreams of being a Shakespearean actor, dreams which died in a series of successful one-night stands in a vehicle that made him a lot of money but little satisfaction. Joshua Thomas is their elder son, Robert, a classic sot who may have talent, but never is sober enough to find out. Aaron Orion Baker is the younger son, Edmund, based on the playwright himself; he coughs a lot, and in 1912, when the play is set, that's the sign for approaching tuberculosis, or consumption, as it was called in those days.
Dashiell Hammett, the great mystery story writer, had characters with those symptoms in almost all of his novels, and referred to people like that as "lungers."
As the title indicates, we spend a long day and go deeply into the night with the Tyrones, with three meals more-or-less eaten and a great deal of whiskey consumed.
Ashton, with a light, rollicking brogue reminiscent of Frank McCourt, worries excessively about money, predicting the poorhouse as a result of all sorts of endeavors, the one exception being his participation in real estate deals that were precursors to the derivative market that wreaked such havoc on American dreams in the last few years. When Edmund's tuberculosis is confirmed, and young James challenges his father about an inexpensive sanatorium's worth, Dad crumples, regroups and announces, "We want the best, no matter what it costs," then adds, "but we want to get our money's worth."
He speaks lovingly of Shakespeare, but he scorns the more radical writers and poets that Edmund loves, artists like Rabelais and Baudelaire. With an amazing amount of hypocrisy and lack of honesty, Ashton sounds like one of last week's political candidates, telling lies on top of lies while insisting he has done nothing wrong. His vision also is so clouded by religion that he insists Shakespeare and the Duke of Wellington were Irish Catholics.
Baker, often with a sullen expression, is a dreamer. Neither he nor his brother is afraid to challenge Dad, but they also suffer from an inability and an unwillingness to face the truth. Baker keeps growing as an actor, and it's a pleasure to watch him work. Thomas is excellent as James the Younger, with slicked-back hair. He complains a lot but seems happy to live off Dear Ol' Dad, patronizing the local taverns and brothel, with a special interest in fat prostitutes.
Jennifer Theby adds brightness as the sassy Irish maid, who accompanies Mary Tyrone to the local drugstore (the Tyrones are wealthy enough to have a car and a driver) so Mary can pick up her "medicine," which makes her arthritic hands "feel so much better."
And saving the best for last, Ely is brilliant as Mary Tyrone, a spoiled and rich child who attended Catholic schools and didn't know whether she wanted to be a nun or a concert pianist, until she met the handsome actor. Ely handles all the many facets of Mary with understated skill. She worries about her children, is filled with remorse about a son who died and about Edmund. She lives largely in a drug-induced haze, relating stories about her youth that sound over-inflated at first hearing and are later shot down by her husband, though his record with the truth is no bargain, either.
Ulrich impressed me most with his direction of actors as people who become drunk or drug-addled. There are no pratfalls, little slurred or stumbling language. The Tyrones are well-practiced drunks who don't fall down and don't play for comedy. They are a beat or so off, they flare into anger at real or imagined criticism, calm down almost as rapidly, are quick to apologize. All three men live to protect Mary, to believe her promises, to hide the truth from her, and they do it admirably. The battles on this August day are neither the first nor the last for the Tyrones.
The action takes place in New London, Conn., where the O'Neills lived, and Mark Wilson's simple set is lived-in and not recently re-decorated, and his version of fog is intriguing. John Ryan's lights are effective and Theresa Loeb's costumes have the proper look. Guitarist Ryan Spearman added some lovely incidental music.
Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Muddy Waters Theatre, at the Kranzberg Arts Center through Nov. 21
—Joe
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I saw Long Day’s Journey yesterday afternoon, and it is outstanding. I highly recommend it, as it’s an opportunity to see a first class production of a first class play in an intimate setting.