THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 4, 1994 TAG: 9408020163
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Theater Review
SOURCE: Montague Gammon III
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
There sure is a lot of stuff in ``Stuff.''
Local author Elizabeth Chenosky has worked into her script comments on homophobia, male chauvinism, alcoholism, women's independence, religious obsessions, literary obsessions, dietary obsessions, the sexual abuse of children, the emotional abuse of children, the emotional abuse of spouses, and just plain orneriness.
The writing qualifies at least as a game effort. It is no easy task to create six reasonably believable characters, and to lead them through the maze of turgid interactions that fills this tale of familial dysfunction.
The Chapmans, two parents and four grown daughters, are about as poorly adjusted as any stage family since the ancient Greeks.
The best comparison might be with Medea, since ``Stuff'' can be viewed as a cautionary fable about the damage parents can do to their kids.
Dominating and domineering, the Chapman household's father, Alfred, is presented by the author as a monumentally unpleasant mix of prejudices, resentments and ego.
When his four daughters gather at the family home on an understandably rare visit, they try, as stage families invariably do, to thrash out decades of unfinished business in a matter of a few days. Actually, the play only takes a couple of hours, but after listening to this crew of neurotics whine, complain, argue and insult, one can feel that one has lived through those several days in real time.
Here lies the most significant problem with Chenosky's script. A character as profoundly dislikable as Alfred is tolerable for a very short time. Tolerance for non-stop emotional bloodletting is similarly limited.
Richard May plays the patriarch with a constant scowl, an unfailing scorn for all around him, and venom in everything he says. Arlene Alonzo is his much put upon wife.
Marjorie Shaw is the housewife daughter who watches soap operas and drinks on the sly. Eileen O'Brien, the eldest daughter, doesn't seem to be carrying around too much psychological baggage.
Marti Craver does a funny bit as the girlish adult encountering liquor for the first time.
But the play really belongs to daughter Ann, played by Karen Walton. Her performance is smooth, and shows some real depth.
Marienne Carlucci directed. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
What: ``Stuff'' by Elizabeth Chenosky
When: Thursday, at 8 p.m.
Where: Generic Theater, 912 West 21st St.
Tickets: 441-2160
by CNB