The ensemble. (Photo by Larry Sandez)
Reviewed by G. Bruce Smith
Actors Co-op
Through Nov. 5
RECOMMENDED
William Saroyan’s book The Human Comedy started out as a screenplay, but when MGM dropped the author from the project, he created a novelization instead. It eventually was produced as a film starring Mickey Rooney and is also an adapted play in a terrific production at the Actors Co-op.
The Human Comedy is the coming-of-age story of Homer Macauley, a bright and energetic 14-year-old growing up in the fictional small-ish town of Ithaca, California, during World War II. Homer enthusiastically takes a job delivering telegrams, but when he starts bearing bad news of the deaths of soldiers, he begins to grapple with such issues as fairness, the purpose of the war, and morality.
Helping to guide him are his surrogate fathers, Willie Grogan, the old alcoholic telegrapher, and Tom Spangler (Kendall Lloyd, who also plays two other parts), the manager of the telegraph office.
The Human Comedy also contains slice-of-life scenes as played out in a not-too-small, not-too-large town (Ithaca is most likely a stand-in for Fresno, Saroyan’s home town). There’s a fun classroom scene, a humorously staged race among the students, singing in the church. Other scenes are heavier, but each one adds to Homer’s journey to manhood. But they also evoke Our Town by Thornton Wilder, whose classic American play was about finding value in the smallest events in our lives.
The adaptation by director and writer Thom Babbes comes in at two hours and 40 minutes without intermission, but the action is so absorbing and so well staged that it flies by. Having said that, a couple of scenes could be cut without any damage to the narrative, including one of Spangler and his fiancée.
The entire cast, most of whom play multiple roles, is impressive, with special kudos to Brendan Shannon as Homer and Bruce Ladd as Grogan.
Babbes moves the action beautifully and energetically through many scenes in several locations, aided by an inventive set on a turntable as well as set pieces that have multiple uses (scenic design by Tim Farmer)
Saroyan, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is best known for his humane, powerful and enthusiastic writing. His major themes are aspiration, hope and honesty. All of those come through vividly in the Actors Co-op production.
Actors Co-op, 1760 N. Gower St., Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., 7:30 pm; Sun., 2:30 pm; thru Nov. 5. https://actorsco-op.org Running time: Two hours and 40 minutes, plus intermission
