LEHNE DIRECTS A 'DARK COMEDY'
By Lawrence Christon
(Newspaper & date of publication unknown)
Director John Lehne, whose last effort was the
thoughtfully managed Clifford Odets play "Paradise Lost" at the
Little Victory Theater, is back with a new work at the Matrix
Theater called "Orphans," which opens next Sunday. The play is by
actor-playwright Lyle Kessler, who has been a member of Lehne's
acting class.
"It's a modern fable, a dark comedy about one of
the most basic of human needs—love—and the affection and recognition
that entails," Lehne said. "It's about two orphaned brothers named
Treat and Phillip. Both were left at an early age, and the older has
to assume the role of parent for the younger without having any
guidelines, therefore he gets into thieving and street hustling.
"Phillip, the younger, never leaves the house. At
first his whole idea of the world is gained through television and
what he sees outside his window. But he's finding ways out by
underlining words in books and looking up their meanings.
"I find it a lovely, touching play. And it deals
with heroic struggle, which I identify with. And it plays."
Who could ask for anything more? Paul Lieber and
Joe Pantoliano play the brothers, and Lane Smith plays a wealthy
businessman drawn into their lives in spite of himself.
DRAMA-LOGUE, Sept. 1-7, 1983
by Polly Warfield
Who was that masked man? We may well
wonder as the mysterious, dedicated benefactor of "Dead End Kids"
and orphans swings out the door with only his briefcase in his hand
to disappear forever down a nondescript North Philadelphia street.
For Harold is the Lone Ranger, Zorro, Superman, even maybe (dare we
say it?) a surrogate of Jesus Christ. The lives he touches and
redeems are forever altered. It is Harold, played to stunning
perfection by Lane Smith, who lifts Lyle Kessler's play into
joyousness and makes it the gem it is.
The play is not to be taken totally realistically
despite its modern idiom; it is part fantasy, fable, old-fashioned
fairytale. Its sentiment is Gene Stratton Porter and Horatio Alger Jr.
updated. It is cracking good entertainment, comedy and suspense. It is
also metaphysical and allegorical. It's easy enough to point out flaws of
contrivance and credibility, such as where did sequestered Phillip (shades
of Cinderella) get that stiletto-heeled red satin slipper he so cherishes?
Since he and delinquent elder brother Treat are orphans of the storm, who
took care of this presumably helpless kid when Treat was in detention
hall? What use could a youth apparently so retarded make of a contraband,
concealed Webster's Collegiate and what interest would he have in
multi-syllable words? And why can't he figure out how to get into those
splendid yellow loafers Harold buys him when (even though he can't tie the
laces) he can get into his old sneakers? I will not cavil at such
contrivances for they are theatrically effective ways of making legitimate
points. And the points they make are well worth making.
Orphans is given the kind of lustrous, polished
production we have come to expect of Joseph Stern, who is gaining the
reputation of a flair for infallibility. The cast is well-chosen,
wonderful and admirably differentiated, and John Lehne's expert direction
establishes its intrinsic rhythm while establishing Lehne in the forefront
among Los Angeles directors. Paul Lieber's sharp, tough, street-smart
Treat is volatile and dangerous as a hand grenade. His kind of
retardation, Harold shows us, is more grievous than Phillip's, and both
are a matter of environment and deprivation. Joe Pantollano's gentle,
timid Phillip is irresistible with the sweet, eager to please innocence of
childhood. Down to his twisted smile and raspy voice with its occasional
spurts of explosive volume, Lane Smith is marvelously right for ex-orphan,
self-made millionaire, rough-cut hero Harold, pure in heart though
associate of gangsters and thugs. The strength and steel of his intellect
and maleness are enriched into wondrous treasure by his extraordinary
(superhuman?) tenderness and love. With his power and need to nurture,
forgive, redeem "dead end kids" he embodies the essence of fatherhood,
just when we might have been in danger of doubting its existence, and
makes it the emotional equal of motherhood, which has received a much
better press. Harold is gratifyingly infallible, invincible, indomitable,
apparently indestructible and— good, as opposed to what we've seen
too much of lately: impotence, helplessness and evil. Just what we need
when we need him.
D. Martyn Bookwalter's set is so true it's imprinted on
our memories. We've seen it all before; it's so familiar with its dingy
details, spots on the wall where pictures no longer hang, scruffy
wallpaper, dispirited window shades. In the second act, two weeks later,
we see small miracles of change with Harold's influence. Martin Aronstein
puts his prestigious talent at the service of Equity-waiver and lights the
old family home with pale sepia memory tints of old photos; it lingers
lovingly on a chosen subject as each scene ends. Doug Spesert's costumes
indicate the orphans' improved condition, while Harold's long journey from
orphanhood is shown in his consistent GQstyle, always impeccable. Jon
Gottlieb's sound is, as ever, fitting and also unobtrusive. J. A.C.
Redford composed the appropriate and lovely incidental music.
Orphans can be taken to the heart as a rare treat,
funny, poignant, exciting and best of all inspiriting.
