As Irving Berlin wrote, “There’s
no people like show people,”
and “The Royal Family” at
Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum
proves just that. “The Royal
Family” provides a glimpse into
the lives of the famous family of
actors the Cavendishes. Written
by George S. Kaufman and Edna
Ferber, the Cavendish family was
written as a parody of the real life
actor family the Barrymores, with
the womanizer Tony Cavendish
representing John Barrymore and
the Broadway diva Julie Cavendish
representing Ethel Barrymore.
Like a good parody of actors
should, this one contains over the
top, melodramatic, self-absorbed
characters, and this production
is brilliantly cast highlighting the
Geer family of actresses as well as
several Theatricum regulars.
This play examines the sacrifices
made to live the life on
an actor, the cost of giving it up
and of course that inextricable
pull that the stage has to lure you
back, that only those who have
walked the boards themselves
can truly appreciate. The rustic
outdoor stage is beautifully transformed
into the grand salon of an
upscale New York apartment; the
sheer size of which adds to the
chaos and comings and goings of
the large cast. At times director
Susan Angelo attains an almost
“Noises Off” cacophony of activity
that is balanced brilliantly with
the quieter, smaller moments.
With all of the melodramatic
reactions – Willow Geer as Gwen
Cavendish has a brilliant moment
when she exclaims to her beau,
with a hand flourish no less, “But
I’m an actress!” – that abound
throughout, the most dramatic
moment of the play is met with
absolute silence and cuts straight
to the heart of the matter.
Melora Marshall as Julie Cavendish
manages to be genuine,
heartfelt and self-absorbed all
at the same time, and her grand
entrance can’t be beat. That is
until Tony Cavendish, played by
Aaron Hendry, enters in a tornado
of self-important bravado and
sweeps the entire household up in
his energy and enthusiasm. Both
deliver memorable performances,
but the real star of the show is
Ellen Geer as the matriarch Fanny
Cavendish. Her portrayal of this
once prolific actress who is now
on the declining slope of failing
health is something to behold.
She delivers great matter-of-fact
zingers while wrangling her nutty
family one moment, then lets her
frailty show through the next only
to come back fighting and stand
on her own two feet. She is the
walking, talking embodiment of
what the Cavendish family stands
for.
The rest of the cast is rounded
out with a talented cadre of actors
with Alan Blumenfeld as Oscar
Wolfe the Cavendish’s manager
providing the buoy to which the
pandemonium can attach itself.
“The Royal Family” is a fast-paced
romp that will put a smile on your
face with its poignant portrayal of
what it means to be family.
Through September 15th
Tickets: www.theatricum.com
or 310-455-3723
Kat Michels is a two-time
regional Emmy award-winning
writer with an AAS in video production
and a BFA in theatre.