Twilight of the Golds - Reviews

The Dallas Voice - click Here

Dallas Morning News review - click Here

The Column by John Garcia review - click Here

Uptown Players' 'Twilight of the Golds' looks at dangers of playing God
Lawson Taitte, The Dallas Morning News

Twilight of the Golds sets us an interesting test case for our moral compasses. Just where does the power to choose our own destinies cross the line to become an overweening pride leading to disaster?

Jonathan Tolins has set his problem play in a milieu – a New York Jewish family in which the mother spends all day Sunday reading a week's worth of The New York Times –where the word "eugenics" conjures up images of Nazi medical experimentation. The right to choose to terminate a pregnancy is an unquestioned good – until the rationale behind a choice becomes problematical.

The son-in-law, a geneticist, discovers that the child his wife is carrying is likely to be gay. Although everyone in the family loves the wife's gay brother, the prospective parents still have qualms about raising a son who is "different." The brother is alarmed by their feelings – as well he might be – so things begin to get a little rough.

On Saturday, Uptown Players opened a revival of Twilight of the Golds that – like the play itself – is powerful but flawed. Doug Miller has picked a talented cast and (with Dennis Canright) designed a set that's almost too stylish for this unimaginative couple.

The acting is especially strong on the female side. Lois Sonnier Hart creates an interesting variation on the theatrical stereotype of the Jewish mother. Haunted by her own failures at loving, she's perpetually in a mild panic, trying to make everybody get along. As Suzanne, the pregnant woman, Jodi Rudman spans an enormous range of mood and affect. She's brilliant and shallow and warm and closed off and utterly defeated, sometimes all in the same scene.

Mr. Tolins stacks the deck against Francis Fuselier (as Suzanne's father) and Joe Nemmers (the geneticist husband) by making their dread of gay people so close to the surface. For all the humanizing touches in the writing, they're still the villains here.

As David, the gay brother, Clayton Farris exudes charm. But it's an embarrassment that a character who works at the Metropolitan Opera and is obsessed with Wagner can't pronounce "Brunnhilde," a word that functions as a leitmotiv in the play. The climactic arguments between Mr. Farris and several other characters strain Mr. Farris' capabilities, too.

Twilight of the Golds feels like special pleading – especially when produced by a theater that caters to gay audiences, like Uptown – ignoring its story's implications in a much wider debate about the ethical implications of burgeoning scientific discoveries. It's a healthy reminder, though, that playing God can lead to a society's – or a family's – downfall.

The Dallas Voice Review
Arnold Wayne Jones

It’s ‘Twilight’ time at Uptown Players

“One good thing you can say about homosexuality,” an old joke went, “is that it isn’t hereditary.” Ha. Ha.

And, science tells us increasingly, not true. Evidence has been piling up for year of genetic markers contributing to (if not deciding) sexual orientation. Vindication for those who have defiantly claimed “I was born this way,” but ethically ambiguous for homophobes who still call it a disease: What if you could change sexuality in utero — or just abort all non-straight babies out of hand?

Jonathan Tolins’ “Twilight of the Golds,” now on stage from Uptown Players, asks just that. And you may not like the answer.

David Gold (Clayton Farris) has a seemingly warm relationship with his sister Suzanne (Jody Rudman) and their parents Walter (Francis Fuselier) and Phyllis (Lois Sonnier Hart). They ask about his boyfriend, worry about his health and loan him money; he dutifully attends anniversary parties and buys them opera CDs they never listen to.

When Suzanne learns she’s pregnant, everyone is happy. But an experimental test conducted by her doctor-husband (Joe Nemmers) reveals a 90 percent probability the child will be born “like David” — that is, a Liza-loving opera queen, as queer as a three dollar bill. And the debate whether to keep it rips the family apart.

If it sounds heavy, it is, but only after a lively first half. Director Doug Miller keeps the pace going rat-a-tat during Act 1, capturing the script’s middlebrow but witty beats. “Your hallway reeks of garlic — your neighbors must be loud,” Phyllis judgmentally observes.

Act 2 is more problematic. Gone is the Neil Simon humor as Tolins goes movie-of-the-week on us, with lots of yelling and needless gesticulating. (Farris, who makes a flippantly likable comic presence at first, gets shrill and stiff when David’s moral indignation emerges.) The many pop culture references seem less snarky and ironic as the play goes on.

Tolins is also coy about his message, couching his imagery in Wagner references. And not once in the show are the words “gay,” “abortion” or “HIV/AIDS” used, as if there may be some confusion about what’s meant. It’s gimmicky, but not fatal. And while it moves from “Will & Grace” to “Brothers & Sisters,” leaking melodrama across the stage like sopping sponge, you also sense how deeply much of the dialogue hits home, particularly with gay patrons. There were detectable sniffles from the opening-night audience, perhaps echoing past conversations from their own lives. It’s a game of emotional piggy-backing, but it works.

Rudman is the strongest performer in the cast, but all create a family that seems lived-in. (The exception is Nemmers’ character, not a Gold by birth and perpetually an outsider.) The set, designed by Miller and Dennis Canwright, is one of Uptown’s all-time best: Functional, surprising and elegant, capturing the characters’ ordered lives perfectly. “Pages 30 through 34 of the Ikea catalogue,” David hisses, his inner Queer Eye offended by the banality.

Despite its flaws, this production of “Twilight of the Golds” has too many merits not to recommend it. Tolins touches on a lot of topics that still push buttons in people, and present a resolution almost unbearably dark but difficult to disagree with. In a very real sense, it presaged the end of the world as we know it, and I feel anything but fine.

— A.W.J.

The Colum Review - By John Garcia

Last week Microsoft announced a mind boggling new computer contrap- tion. It is a computer screen that sits flat on any surface and you use your fingers to touch images, pictures, etc. to move around on the screen. That means no more monitors, mouse pads, or keyboards to clutter your desk. Ah technology.

On NBC's THE OFFICE this past week the new boss Ryan has informed the staff that a spanking new website will be used to lure new clients and make the office much more efficient. He also demands that everyone start to use and carry blackberries. Meanwhile in a misguided attempt to show that technology is wrong, Michael tries to woo clients that left Dunder-Miflin by visiting them with gift baskets. But while using his car's navigation system he mistook the directions wrong and drove straight into the lake. He put his faith and trust in that technology.

Our world has leaped so far advance in technology that it seems that we can't keep up with it anymore. I'm still trying to figure out the basics of the damn computer itself. Technology is great in so many ways, but also extremely dangerous. Cell phones really come in handy in a myriad of ways, but they also cause so many car accidents now because of either talking on the phone or txt messaging while driving.
Everyone has now seen fallen pop tart momma Britney Spears txt messa -ging while driving thanks to all those photographs.

So let me give you a frightening hypothetical question that just might actually become a reality down the road because of the way technology keeps advancing. If there was a medical test that could determine that your child was born with defects, hearing or sight problems, or that it is a girl-but you wanted a boy, or that it will have black hair instead of blonde hair, or that he or she would become gay…what would you do? Would you have the child? Or have an abortion? Give it up for adoption and try again? What would you do? What would our parents have done if that testing was available during their time?

That is the alarming question presented in Jonathan Tolins disprop- ortionate & rutted play, THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS, now playing at Uptown Players.

We are introduced to the Golds, a Jewish family set in New York circa 1989-1990. We have parents, Walter & Phyllis (played by Francis Fuselier and Lois Sonnier Hart) whose daughter Suzanne (Jody Rudman) did not finish medical school. She switched majors from medicine to marketing, becoming a buyer at Bloomingdale's. She is married Rob Stein (Joe Neemers), a research scientist at a large, booming company.
The Golds also have a son, David (Clayton Ferris), who works as a set designer for the Met, is in a three year committed relationship with his partner Steve. Yep, David is gay.

Before dinner on Rob & Suzanne's three year anniversary we discover she is pregnant. This brings Rob to reveal that his company has created a medical test that can help determine if the child has medical problems and so on. This causes major debates within the family, but then the test reveals that the unborn boy will be "Like David", meaning gay. This is the match the lights the explosion of emotional bloodshed within the family.

Tolins has a brilliant concept for his play, but it never fully develops organically or emotionally. All the references & comparisons to Wagner's final opera that is the Ring Cycle go all over the place and become too grandiose and symbolic. You feel like one of the detectives from DRAGNET while watching the play, "Just the facts ma'm." There are scenes that do bring out the organic, emotional conflict-but just when you are about to well up in tears as the pain is being splattered all over the stage, Tolins returns to the opera comparisons and you are once again trying to match emotion with symbolism. And if you're like me who knows nothing about opera, then you're really lost.

When you hear a piece of very famous music play in one scene, my brain immediately whispers to me, "Oh that's `kill da wabbit' with Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny!" It was right at that moment that David tells the audience how furious it makes him when people say that exact same thing to him about that particular music. Oops.

I've seen this play only once before, and I still have the same issues with the playwright as before. Too much medical jargon and endless opera references weigh the piece down. I wanted more of the gut wrenching pain come forth from the pages of the play within the family. There are scenes of that, and when Tolins focuses on those emotions, the play is riveting, powerful, and cathartic. Such as the Act Two scene between David and his parents. That fight struck hard within many in the Saturday night audience-you knew that for a fact by the sniffles echoing in the darkness. That's what Tolins needed more of in his play.

Doug Miller's direction is crisp, clean, and solid from beginning to end. This highly acclaimed and well respected director provides some of his best directorial work in this piece. The pace is perfection.
He keeps the action moving at solid speed, only allowing the organic dramatic moments within the piece to slow the pace down for excellent dramatic pauses and intensity. But look at the blocking, it is sublime. There is constant movement, but he covers the entire space with rationale within the blocking. Notice how he wisely makes sure certain family members are close to each other in key moments, thereby allowing the audience to watch the Golds react emotionally and physically at each other during those key scenes. Miller's direction shines beautifully within the piece.

I will admit the underlying opera music playing in the background during some emotional scenes was a little distracting. It comes in out of nowhere and slowly becomes like an irritating mosquito buzzing around your ear.

I honestly do love theater companies that really take the time, skill, and knowledge to design and create the best they can within their production elements. Uptown has never disappointed me in that depart- ment-ever. Having said this, the set for this play is absolutely exquisite and a feast for the eyes.

Designed by Miller and Dennis Canright, the set is a marvelous New York apartment. It is not just flats connected to each other, instead it has mini-arches for special lighting, and it has depth and scope.
The center glossy windows whisper open to reveal a mountain piece that looks volcanic. This is used when the opera references are discussed on stage. The color scheme and design of this set displays in profess -ional beauty what amazing talent we have in our designers within this metroplex theater community.

Jason Foster's lighting design is another layer of artistic genius coming from the production team. He pours vivid, swirling, rich colors onto the volcanic opera set within the glass windows, but gives the New York apartment a nice, sunny, healthy glow. I also thought what a terrific idea it was to light the DNA sculpture in Act Two.

Completing the design is Suzi Shankle's period costuming. She actually has David in one of those mini jackets with huge shoulder pads that we've seen WHAM wear in concert. To think we thought those were so cool back then. Each costume piece fits the period perfectly and helps seal in the time frame in which the play takes place in.

The five thespians within this production provide some of the best chemistry that I've seen all season. The parents kiss, hug, hold hands and look at each other with approval, disappointment, or deep affection.

The brother and sister show a loving, sibling relationship with the energy and playfulness between them. Finally you do believe in the romantic-if strained-marriage of Rob and Suzanne by their passionate kissing and holding onto each other. Or are they desperately trying to hold on to their crumbling marriage? The chemistry between the entire cast radiates the stage.

Clayton Farris does an admirable job as "David", but somehow never reaches the organic reality within the raw, brutal center of David's heartache and pain. He gets right to the cusp of the emotional arc, but somehow not able to burst though that final subtext wall. Nonethe -less the actor does give the role a sweet balance of humor with some touching moments with his sister.

His sister is portrayed by Jodi Rudman, who provides a highly enter -taining performance as the sibling who is the eye of this emotional storm. As with Farris, Ms. Rudman also seems to have the same problem of getting deep into the skin and subtext of "Suzanne". She gets so close, but somehow never reaches the emotional apex. You wanted tears to flow down her face in the second Act confession of what happened to her. And while you hear the pain through her voice, you don't truly see or feel it. Ms. Rudman is terrific in the role; you just wanted that dark anguish to seep through much more within her performance.

Francis Fuselier delivers a solid performance as "Walter Gold", a proud (yet disappointed) father who loves his family, as long as he ignores their faults. The role could easily go into over the top hysteria and stereotypical format. Fuselier steers his performance far away from this. His touching monologue is restrained, but immensely moving. His second act fight with his son is devastating to watch, but Fuselier uses just the right inflections and emotion to cause the audience to squirm in their seats. It's a very difficult scene, but Fuselier's work really brings the unspeakable truth to devastating reality. Watch also Fuselier's body language in several scenes. Watch his facial expressions and body change when things he does not want to hear come up; the subtext here from Fuselier is riveting.

The two performances that did find their organic subtext and realism were provided by Joe Nemmers and Lois Sonnier Hart.

Nemmers role could be the one role that disappears into the background due to writing and placement of the character, which is more of a-if you pardon the expression-the straight man to the Golds humor and structure within the play. Instead Nemmers creates a fascinating character that makes you so angry to watch, but damnnit, if his performance actually does brings understanding to his side of the argument.

As "Rob Stein", he must defend this medical testing, even though many consider it a new form of Nazi selectiveness. With a firm, muscular grasp of his character's voice and heart, Nemmers delivers the emotional arc beautifully. His second act monologue is the best of the evening, gripping you with heartfelt compassion of what Rob honestly feels as Nemmers eyes fill with tears. Thereby he clearly shows the audience Stein's subtext. Uptown's VALLEY OF THE DOLLS was my first time to see Nemmers work on stage, which was a hilarious performance as "Lyon Burke". Now to see what he does with a dramatic role, this actor is indeed phenomenal in whatever genre he's in.

Ms. Hart is known around the theater community as a musical theater actress, so to see her in a dramatic role was like opening an ornate package to find a sparkling surprise. This was another role that in a weaker actress would have become a cardboard copy of the Jewish mother -not in Ms. Hart's capable hands. She pulls back on the Jewish accent, instead letting it come out naturally.

Using her face and body like a see through chalkboard, we see every arrow of hurt, pain, sorrow, anger, and devastation pierce through her heart. Her facial expressions and body language is displayed in finesse subtext. Observe how she reacts to key scenes, it is gut wrenching. There were times I swore Ms. Hart used my own mother as a character study-and I'm Catholic! Ms. Hart's second act monologue is written a bit melodramatic and has a slight aura of LIFETIME movie of the week. However Hart gives the monologue such overwhelming brutality that it leaves you with a lump in your throat there in the darkness of the theater.

Okay, so Tolins script is inconsistent and tends to go all over the map, losing focus at times. But the production mounted by Uptown Players is chockfull of reasons on why you should buy a ticket. The production elements are superior, the direction is right on the money, and the performances clearly rise way above the patchy script.

Uptown Players yet again has mounted a production that clearly shows why they continue to be one of the finest, most professional theater companies in the metroplex.

GRADE: B+