Proving, Finally, Small Is Beautiful


This is a story from another time, when Buffalo seemed a cohesive place: Everyone tuned into Jack Benny on Sunday nights; it seemed an art-appreciating place: where Michelangelo’s David had been perfectly replicated, save for the addition of a fig leaf; and it seemed a mannerly place: where fathers cautioned their sons to behave, saying "I’m not sure Yale accepts wiseguys."

A.R. Gurney’s recollection of growing up privileged in the "13th largest city in America" during the 1940s centers on Eddie, in this small and entertaining play about family and changing times.

When I say small, I don’t mean slight. I mean contained. Very.

It all begins with the flaring of a feud between adolescents, Eddie, (Tyler Stanton) — terrifically turned out in a sweater vest and blue blazer — and his cousin Lambert, (Cooper Stanton). Lambert snaps up Eddie’s smutty drawing created during Latin class to liven things up, and bad feelings erupt (sounds like TV Guide describing a sit com, but it’s better. Really).

The trouble is, Eddie claims to have Indian blood in his veins, not just Indian, but exalted, Seneca Indian blood.

Lambert, though he too has Indian blood, comes from the lowly Tuscaroras.

For Eddie, all kinds of behavior can be blamed on, or credited to, this exotic heritage.

Also, Lambert comes from a less privileged part of the family.

The rest of the play is about the absurdity of depending much on matters like birth, privilege, blood.

But that takes some learning on Eddie’s part. His grandmother (chillingly played by Gillian Seidl, who along with Joan Ackermann started Mixed Company 26 years ago) stands for the old guard. She believes garlic is for immigrants, she never travels without her own sheets and she invites a Jew to dinner on Christmas because otherwise he would have nothing to do that day.

The most enlightened of the clan is Grandfather (George Bergen), who knows the only way to survive change is to embrace it.

The cast, as always at Mixed Company, is terrific, including Stephanie Hedges as Jane, Eddie’s distressed mother; Kale Browne as Harvey, Eddie’s dad, who is caught between old times and new; and Bruce T. MacDonald as Mr. Kenyon, the teacher who must admonish Eddie for his art work, and as Uncle Paul, gay and a little sad.

 

 

 

A.R. Gurney’s "Indian Blood" plays at Mixed Company on Rosseter Street in Great Barrington, MA, through July 13. For tickets, call 413-528-2320. They are available, also, at Crystal Essence on Railroad Street.

 

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