By Eva Trieger
SOLANA BEACH, California — If you ever wanted to know who put the “fun” in dysfunctional, all hands point towards the North Coast Rep’s latest cast of The Homecoming. This offbeat, quirky, Pinter play is a hilarious romp from start to finish. Kudos to David Ellenstein for directing this British comedy, and massive props for casting each of these very talented actors.
In a home in North London, we meet a family who seems to thrive on verbal abuse, scathing insults and eloquent name-calling. Insults fly from father to son, brother to brother, father to uncle…you get the picture. The family patriarch, Max (Frank Corrado), his brother, Sam (James Newcomb), and Max’s sons, Lenny (Richard Baird) and Joey (Justin Gordon), are surprised by a visit from Max’s third son, Teddy (Bruce Turk) and his…ahem, interesting wife, Ruth (Melanie Lora). While Max, Sam, Lenny, and Joey have always lived under the same roof, Teddy and his wife have just come to visit so that Teddy can have his bride meet the family.
There truly is no weak link in this cast. Every single actor so perfectly inhabited his/her character from the most minute smirk, the near-hysterical laughter, to the simpering glances or blank, vapid stares. San Diego audiences are well-acquainted with some of the actors while others are debuting, most successfully.
Frank Corrado has appeared in a number of North Coast Rep productions, including Madagascar, The Dumb Waiter, and The Drawer Boy. His portrayal of Max is flawless. Through Corrado’s expressions and eruptions, we see every one of his foibles. Sam, by contrast, appears the only person with a conscience or soul. He is delightful to watch as he skirts around his brother’s vitriolic denigration, and he maintains an even keel.
Richard Baird is so well cast. We’ve seen him do a perfect British accent many times, but his smarmy, obnoxious delivery in this role is just sublime. Baird has directed and performed on North Coast Rep’s stage many times and improves in every performance…if that’s possible.
Gordon, debuting at North Coast Rep, masterfully portrays a somewhat less sturdy limb in the family tree. He generally takes his lead from Lenny and serves the maxim “all brawn and no brain” quite well.
Turk has appeared on the boards of North Coast Rep in a number of shows, including Ben Butler, Same Time Next Year, and Faded Glory. This talented actor has also directed and appeared on television in many shows.
Another deb, Lora, has been seen in theaters all over Southern California. She has also done many commercials and a few films. Her delivery of Ruth is at once charming, confusing, frightening, and wonderful!
As previously mentioned, every actor’s accent was perfect. This was ensured by Victoria Hanlin, dialect coach, who grew up in Birmingham, U.K. There were no missteps and the accents were authentic and consistent.
Once more, Marty Burnett created an innovative and aesthetically pleasing set, which is no mean feat on this limited stage. Audiences were viewing the living room and stairway and it felt like an authentic home. Bravo!
This show is truly delightful and worth making an effort to see. The Homecoming will run through March 27, and tickets may be obtained by calling 858-481-1055 or by visiting www.northcoastrep.org.