Native Gardens

Reviewed by Dana Martin
Pasadena Playhouse
Through September 30

Good neighbors are behaving badly at the Pasadena Playhouse. Native Gardens, a new comedy by Karen Zacarías that’s directed by Jason Alexander, comedically carves new territory for newcomers as it illustrates a very un-neighborly property dispute in screwball sitcom-style.

Older white neighbors Frank (Bruce Davison) and Virginia (Frances Fisher) welcome newcomers Pablo (Christian Barillas) and Tania (Jessica Meraz) to their stately, established D.C. neighborhood. Both couples are eager to make a good impression and quickly hit it off, despite drastically differing ideas about, well, everything, including how to keep their gardens. Tania’s environmentally conscious garden is comprised of plants indigenous to the region while Frank’s garden is imported, pruned and manicured. He’s hell-bent on winning this year’s local flower competition for neighborhood bragging rights.

Ambitious young lawyer Pablo impulsively invites the firm over for a party, and hastily offers to replace the dilapidated fence dividing the properties. Frank and Virginia enthusiastically agree. Plans commence, and Pablo soon discovers that the property line has been incorrectly drawn. The new fence will obtrude two feet into Frank and Virginia’s property — right in the center of Frank’s prized tulips. Alliances between the couples quickly wither and a series of privileged, adult-sized tantrums ensue. Tania and Pablo stand their ground, claiming what’s rightfully, legally theirs.

Playwright Karen Zacarías uses the botanical beef to shine a light on differing perspectives of age, culture and ideology. There’s also an undercurrent of good old-fashioned racism throughout — the insidious, well-meaning kind born out of ignorance and white privilege. Virginia ignorantly assumes that Tania and Pablo are Mexican, despite the couple repeatedly clarifying that Tania is from New Mexico and Pablo from Chile.

Jason Alexander guides the play in broad comedic strokes and keeps the action popping. He sticks to shtick. David Meyer’s impressive set design alone is worth the price of admission: it features two drastically different yards and a gorgeous, enormous oak tree. Thomas Ontiveros’ lighting design creates a fine sense of outdoor space. Sound design by Christian Lee features blasts of lively Latin music between scenes. Raquel Barreto’s smart costumes emphasize the age and lifestyle differences between the couples.

Frances Fisher is all gusto and spunk as spitfire Virginia. Bruce Davison digs in his heels as curmudgeonly Frank, who throws amusing Shakespearean-sized tantrums of the privileged white guy variety. Jessica Meraz is earnest and endearing as heavily pregnant doctoral candidate Tania, though she achieves little vocal nuance. Christian Barillas’ Pablo is as cunning as he is kind, and always sympathetic. Landscapers Richard Biglia, Julian Armaya and Bradley Roa II are given scant yet lively stage time, dancing through scene changes and re-establishing the property line in smooth and sexy fashion. No complaints here.

Native Gardens is a beautifully crafted botanical metaphor that deserves more weight and exploration of the subject matter. It is lovely, but it doesn’t dig deep.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena; Wed.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.; through Sep. 30. (626) 356-7529 or pasadenaplayhouse.org. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.