‘The Club’ – A Review
The need to have friends and participate in activities with them is an essential part of feeling accepted. This starts when we are very young and continues throughout the lives of many people. This concept is at the heart of a new show premiering at George Street Playhouse. The Club, written by Chris Bohjalian, explores these ideas but in a unique way. Playwright Bohjalian sets the play in 1968. This becomes an interesting point of contention as the action unfolds. However, audiences will need to think about how far off the social issues of that time we are today.
The Club offers audiences a glance back to the 1960’s when life had a specific look about it. To carry this out, The Club has superb acting, dynamic sets, and a story sure to get you thinking. David Saint directs the production.
A Story of Three Families
The setting is the home of the Barrow family where the remnants of a party from the previous night are scattered though the living room. As Richard Barrows (Frederick Weller) and Anna Barrows (Ali Marsh) clean up, it becomes more evident that a lot of drinking took place. Insults are hurled between the two that an unnecessary amount of flirting took place. Their daughter, Olive Barrows (Skyler Hensley) observes all that goes on. But their conversation becomes heated as Anna accuses her husband of making out with Mrs. Willows at the party. Marion Willows (Grace Experience) and John Willows (Brendan Ryan) are friends who also attended the party.
But at the heart of the discussion is what happened to another couple who were at the party. Peter Kendricks (Ryan George) and his wife Angela Kendricks (Samaria Nixon-Fleming) are friends of both the Barrows and the Willows. They applied to the local club where both of the other couples are members. They are waiting to hear about their recently filed application for membership in the club. They are blacks in the midst of what appears to be a heavily white neighborhood. The year is 1968. Sometime during the party, the result of the vote is let out and it is not in their favor. But not everyone yet knows what happened.
What the Characters Discover
Anna Barrow decides to flush the entire situation out. She invites both the Willows and the Kendricks to come over for cocktails that evening. And it does all come out. There is great hurt and disappointment. Those moments in the play are tense and very well acted by this ensemble.
As is typical in these kinds of situations, everyone starts to look for someone to blame. The fact that it was one blackball that prevented the Kendricks from being accepted is even more distressful.
However, the revelation about what happened to the Letter of Recommendation that Richard wrote turns the situation in the most difficult direction of all. This is where audiences will have to look at what has occurred and determine was this just a happening of that time period or is it something that could occur now as well.
An Excellent Set and Side Video Displays
Important to the story is the set for The Club. It allows the audience to feel a part of the show by feeling like they are in the living room of a suburban house in 1968. This set is impressive and the care to details allows the upscale background of the characters to come through. And that is a critical element of better understanding the story.
High marks go to James Youmans for his set, projection, and media design. He has captured the spirit of that highly charged time in history so well. Unfortunately, the photo right below here does not show the screen monitors on the sides of the stage that show photos of houses that were popular during that time.
The lighting design comes from Tyler Micoleau and credit goes to Scott Killian for original music and sound design.
Additional nods go to Lisa Zinni for costume design so representative of that era and to Tommy Kurzman for wig and hair design.
See ‘The Club’ In Person and Live Stream
The Club is a play well worth going to see. It will give rise to conversation about how far we have come or not come from the situation in the 1968 play. Theater can inspire and educate when well done. That is exactly what happens here. If you feel uncomfortable watching it unfold, then you are allowing yourself to really look in as you attempt to better understand.
For more information about The Club, visit the George Street Playhouse website. This show runs through March 17.
The final performances, March 15 – March 17 are also available via Live Stream. For more information about going live stream. click this Live Stream: The Club link.