THE CIDER HOUSE RULES: PART 1, Famous Door Theatre Company at Victory Gardens Theater
BY LUCIA MAURO
If there’s such a phrase as intimate scale, it’s epitomized in Famous Door Theatre Company’s production of "The Cider House Rules: Part 1," the 1996 Peter Parnell stage adaptation of John Irving’s best-selling novel. Co-directors David Cromer and Marc Grapey have opened up the larger upstairs space at Victory Gardens Theater at the same time they’ve streamlined the hundred or so characters in and around Maine’s St. Cloud Orphanage to distinct individuals.
Not unlike Charles Dickens’ "Nicholas Nickleby" (another epic orphan-themed work), "Cider House" is divided into two parts (the second half opens Feb. 16), each lasting three hours, and spans several decades with actors taking on vast multiple roles. The play also has its share of eccentric characters, yet its issues probe deeper into the grimmer aspects of human reproduction.
"Cider House" tracks the progressive and troubled Dr. Wilbur Larch (an ether addict – the result of an early bout with venereal disease) from his days as a medical student through his vocation to delivering unwanted children and, when necessary, performing abortions. It moves in and out of time -- from the turn of the 20th century into the post-World War II years.
And, while Dr. Larch stands indomitably at the head of the play – barking with melancholic fervor to his young charges, "Goodnight, you princes of Maine; you kings of New England" – the exceptional orphan, Homer Wells, and his quest for belonging propel the story forward. We witness Wells’ unsuccessful adoptive experiences, his coming of age, his medical apprenticeship with Dr. Larch, and his revelation that he could never perform an abortion.
Needless to say, "Cider House" tackles a mountain of issues – many of which are challenging to scale on stage. Those familiar with the movie starring Michael Caine and Toby McGuire will encounter a more sprawling and peeled-open story (and an excess of gynecological detail) in the theater. The expository, graphically biological nature of this adaptation makes one want to grab a scalpel and edit the text (especially one over-long scene in which Homer studies a dead fetus and others that refer endlessly to a pornographic photo involving a pony).
The actors also rotate speaking in the first person with relaying their thoughts to the audience in the third person – a technique that grows a bit belabored.
Yet this swiftly paced but un-rushed production does not feel heavy-handed or interminable – except for the tonally disjointed third act. It has not, however, reached the level of transcendence. And I believe that had a lot to do with Famous Door’s opening "Cider House" before all the kinks – from solid characterizations to overall pacing and logistics – had been worked out.
Ideally, "Cider House" could have been quite an epic event had the theater opened both parts (with a dinner break) on the same day to keep the momentum flowing. Part 1, unfortunately, ended in a "to be continued"-style flourish. Yet we have to wait almost one month to catch Part 2. It must be stressed that these are not two stand-alone plays. Part 1 only scratches the surface of Homer’s journey.
That said, Famous Door’s staging features some exquisite moments – notably the dirge-like march of women creeping out of the orphanage under the cover of darkness and the empowering abandon of Dr. Larch and Homer charging across the stage as they bond against the mystical glow of lanterns.
The cast is committed to unselfconsciously potent storytelling. In fact, I often felt like Irving’s novel was coming to life before my eyes. Two of the most earnest and comically irreverent performances are delivered by Laura T. Fisher as the tenderly grounded Nurse Edna and Elaine Rivkin as the more emotionally florid Nurse Angela. Other standouts include Kevin Stark’s damaged but undaunted young Dr. Larch; Dan Waller as the heartwarmingly needy orphan Curly Day; Sarah Charipar as the elusive but pained prostitute Mrs. Eames; Elizabeth Rich as unfettered adventurer Billy Winkle; and Steven Schine as a non-self-pitying Fuzzy Stone (the perceptive orphan with a fatal asthmatic condition).
More difficult at this point to grasp – despite the fact that both actors are wholeheartedly invested in their roles – are Larry Neumann, Jr.’s Dr. Larch and Daniel Kuhlman’s Homer Wells. At this point in the play’s gestation process, the connection between these two men has yet to convincingly gel.
Neumann, one of Chicago’s most strikingly nuanced actors, weighs Dr. Larch more heavily on the "character-actor" side. His interpretation of Dr. Larch – a figure who is part curmudgeon, part eccentric, part compassionate hero – is no doubt complex. But on opening night, Neumann slipped into a singular, almost self-centered, universe of characterization – nearly canceling out Kuhlman’s ultra-understated Homer. I got the sense, on this rare occasion, that Neumann was trying too hard to join together all of Dr. Larch’s paradoxes in operatic fashion -- only to veer closer into caricature.
Kuhlman, on the other hand, needs to enliven the understatement, lest he fade into the background rather than become the hero of his own life. A fresh-faced and likable actor, Kuhlman can still find room to mold Homer into more than a questioning observer on the sidelines without sacrificing his character’s quiet steadfastness.
The enthralling vintage set, designed with period accuracy by Brian Sidney Bembridge (with exposed walls, distressed wood floors, and stacks of barrels and ladders), is lit in sepia splendor by Jeff Pines – further vividly awash in a by-gone era via Janice Pytel’s crisp and weathered costume designs. Joseph Fosco provides the original music and sound design – aching, harsh and serene.
Despite its easily remedied flaws, this production tackles tough and topical issues with a captivating balance of heart and head. It’s smart and emotion-driven – and viewers will not feel the drain of three hours. In fact, I left the theater uplifted and provoked – a sentiment that’s prompting me to re-visit Part 1 and, hopefully, combine it with Part 2 in one day for a more wholly gratifying experience.•
Famous Door Theatre Company’s production of "The Cider House Rules: Part 1" runs through April 6 in rotating repertory with "The Cider House Rules: Part 2" (opening February 16) at Victory Gardens Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $15-$32. Dinner packages are available. Call 773-871-3000 or log onto www.FamousDoorTheatre.org.
