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Regional Reviews: San Francisco A Whimsical Production of Jordan Harrison's Maple and Vine Also see Richard's review of The Caretaker
The American Conservatory Theater production of Maple and Vine racks up points for originality, as Katha (Emily Donahoe) and Ryu (Nelson Lee) move back to this community that still has shows like "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Father Knows Best" on their small screen, black and white television sets. The successful contemporary couple have chosen to flee their unfulfilling lives since Katha is burned out at her publishing job and Ryu's profession as a plastic surgeon "refixing" faces of pampered women is no longer rewarding. Part of their dissatisfaction is that they lost their hoped for baby six months before. They are willing to give up therapists, portobello mushrooms, and such readily available items as the Internet, sushi, lattes, laptops, iPods and video games. Dean (Jamison Jones) and Jenna (Julia Coffey), looking like something out of "Mad Men," engineer Katha and Ryu's escape via the Society of Dynamic Obsolescence, a fanciful organization of 1950s re-enactors who have built a model suburb of that vapid period of Danish modern furniture (set designer Ralph Funicello) and crinoline petticoats (Alex Jaeger's period costumes). This restoration community exists in the real world. The play follows their life in short, sketchy scenes like '50s family movies, including having neighbors over for "pigs in a blanket" and crab puffs with their drinks. Ryu makes one very bad mistake during one of these social meeting by asking if anyone wants Grey Goose vodka. Taken on a superficial level, the farce is harmless fun. Harrison provides enough genuine touches in the second act to keep the audience entertained. There are the restrained gender roles of wives and husbands, the secret guilt of homosexually, and the community confusion on how to treat a new Japanese American in the group. It is also noticeable that there are no African Americans living in this community. There are some nifty surprises involving the marriage of Dean and Janna, whose enthusiastic dedication to playing the roles of the ideal 1955 man and wife is founded on a complex past. Nelson Lee gives a convincing performance in the role of Ryu, who is willing go along with this new '50s addiction even though he knows about the lives of Japanese Americans in the post-Interment decade. He goes from a successful egocentric plastic surgeon to taping cardboard boxes in a box factory. He knows he doesn't have a prayer of getting off the assembly line since he is Japanese-American. Emily Donahoe is excellent as Katha. She makes a convincing case for embracing her new life with enthusiasm in the first act and finds her own spunk as a homemaker in the second act, something like the wife in "Father Knows Best." Jamison Jones as Dean, with a relentless smile on his face and wearing a 1950s suit, and Julia Coffey as his adoring wife Ellen give compelling performances both as teachers and guides to this Technicolor fantasy world. Rounding out the cast is Danny Bernardy, who gives a persuasive performance as Roger, a frustrated homosexual. Director Mark Rucker packs enough hilarity and enticing characters into this production to make it appealing. Maple and Vine runs through April 22nd at American Conservatory Theater, 415 Geary Street, San Francisco. For tickets call 415-749-2228) or on line at www.act-sf.org. Coming up next are Samuel Beckett's Endgame and Play, running May 9 through June 3. The Kander & Ebb and David Thompson musical The Scottsboro Boys follows with Hal Linden follows June 21 through July 15.
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