In Civic Theatre’s “The Humans,” the Blake Family has gathered at their daughter’s humble New York apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. The family members are dutifully loving, falsely cheery, self-centered, deceptive and angry. Each one plays his role – in short, just like home.
Civic’s production manager Will Morris directs a finely-tuned ensemble in this unassuming set-up and then deftly steers them to the drama’s inconclusive conclusion, leaving the audience stunned and asking, “What just happened'”
Often, all the characters talk at once, which the cast manages to do with superb timing. Civic’s opening night audience found their banter quite hilarious and perhaps oh, so familiar. Mostly, everyone does a lot of talking and not much listening.
Playwright Stephen Karam slowly knits this dialog into an afghan nobody wants. Mom and Dad obligingly say the same things they say every year and, on cue, their two daughters react the same way they always do. But now and then, the conversation gets uncomfortable, the humor dries up and an uneasy quiet descends like an iron curtain. It’s amazing anything important gets said at all. It may be that the truth can be heard only in the silences.
Susan E. Sneeringer is superb as the mother, sneaking in “helpful comments” only a mom can get away with. Pat Kelly plays the outnumbered father with a convincing insecurity. Zoli Heft and Rachel Williams as daughters Brigid and Aimee, effectively play young women undergoing painful troubles with their new adult lives. Of course, Mom and Dad try to help and, of course, they can’t.
Becky Engborg as the frail, wheelchair-bound grandmother, masterfully portrays a no longer verbal Alzheimer’s patient. About all she can manage is an occasional muttering -- except when she remembers the words to Thanksgiving grace. Though she has only a few actual lines in the entire play, Engborg’s physical acting tells a complete story.
The outsider is Brigid’s boyfriend Richard, authentically played by Colton Boyd; if you’ve ever been the outsider yourself, you will identify with his discomfort. There’s an additional, unnamed character that adds to the mystery, and that’s all that should be said about that.
At one point, each character takes a turn saying how much they value their family time together, but ultimately, they are each profoundly alone.
“The Humans” is a tour de force of playwrighting, recognized by the Tonys (Best Play), the Obies, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and New York Drama Circle.
A word about the technical production: Scenic designer Sam Roff presents an effective two-story set that melts right into the plot, and sound designer Randall Utsch deserves a bravo for his unnamed contributions. But congratulations are due to the entire Civic cast and crew for presenting an absorbing night at the theatre.
“The Humans,” 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays until Feb. 23, (no performance on Feb. 14); 19th St. Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown, 18104. Tickets: 610-432-8943. http://www.civictheatre.com/theatre/season/the-humans.