Review: The Trip to Bountiful at ACT Theatre
The Trip to Bountiful opened on May 7 and represents the closing show for the ACT Theatre’s Mainstage 2010 Season. This American classic story is Directed by Victor Pappas, who spent seven years as Associate Artistic Director of Intiman Theatre.
Written by Horton Foote, the award winning playwright who died last year at the age of 93, Mr. Foote was renowned for writing (telling stories) about simple things in life, often taking place in small towns in Texas; From a recovering country music singer in the movie Tender Mercies to the troubled Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful.
Carrie Watts, played by luminary Marianne Owen, is an elderly woman who lives with her son Ludie (Paul Morgan Stanly) and his son’s wife Jessie May (Mary Kae Irvin). Carrie desires to return to Bountiful, a small Texas town where she grew up and raised Ludie.
The beauty of the writing and acting resides in the inexplicable desire to hold on to the past and in addressing the many other issues we face as we get older. The play takes place in 1953 Houston, Texas, in a time when many made the move from the country and rural areas to the big city for better opportunities and more jobs. Carrie expresses her need for a simpler time, and that her life, and the time she has left on earth, is very precious. And as we age, if we are lucky, we come to understand what is real and important to each of us.
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Mary Kae Irvin as Jessie Mae is the ideal casting as the bossy wife and daughter-in-law. She’s hard to take but you do end up liking her anyway. She is that realistic in her behavior toward Carrie, who is the one that does all of the household tasks, while Jessie May would rather spend her time at the nearby drug store drinking cokes with her girlfriend. Carrie’s son is pretty much a doormat to his strong willed wife and you soon become captivated by the interactions between all of Foote’s characters during the performance. Also watch for a short cameo by the impeccable Ian Bell, from Rebar’s Brown Derby, as the Ticket Agent.
Horton Foote once stated “I believe very deeply in the human spirit, and I have a sense of awe about it, because I don’t know how people carry on. And yet something about them retains a dignity.” And you see all these feelings expressed and on display in this beautiful drama, The Trip to Bountiful.
The Trip to Bountiful runs through June 6, 2010 with tickets starting at $37.50 or see nearly EVERYTHING at ACT for just $20-$25 per month. Students/people 25 and under are just $10/$15.
Don’t miss “Tastings” before the performance on Friday, May 21, 2010 starting at 6:30 p.m. ACT Theatre continues a delicious tradition: beers, wines, and beverages from around the world, paired with local artisan foods—all matched to fit the theme of ACT’s Mainstage production! Keith Johnsen will search his vast collection of spirits, as well as the bountiful variety of local markets, to procure the perfect show-themed treats for you.
For more info, tickets and even a sneak peak at the The Trip to Bountiful, visit www.acttheatre.org.
– Ethel W.
