Still taken
By Allison Ashmore
April 21, 2005 9:00 p.m.
An oddly genuine comedy is celebrating the family unit as the
Geffen Playhouse headlines the standard of American comedy
standards in a 1937 Pulitzer Prize revival.
Currently running through May 22, the Geffen presents George
Kaufman and Moss Hart’s comedy “You Can’t Take It
With You.”
This first great American comedy focuses on one of the most
unconventional and eclectic families ever created for the stage.
Following the Sycamore family of Manhattan, the audience is
presented with bout after bout of roaring fun.
The play, written in 1936, is now being directed by the
playwright’s son, Christopher Hart, who brings the legacy of
his father to the production. As a child, Hart went to rehearsals
with his father, gaining an understanding of the play’s
context and meaning as a comedy in that era. With this knowledge,
he was able to slightly update the piece for a current audience
while still respecting its original context.
“The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree; he has
an insight into the play and characters that no one else can
possess,” said Carla Renata, a student in the UCLA extension
program studying public relations who also plays Rheba, the maid
and muse of the Sycamore household.
Although the play was written about 70 years ago, the piece
still maintains a modern relevance. The smart comedy’s
message sweeps the borders of time, offering an intimate view into
the beauty of relationships.
“”˜You Can’t Take It With You’ stands the
test of time,” Renata said. “I find more and more
nowadays that when people dust off the covers of a project and
bring it back out, it is more timely now than ever.”
Another indication of the play’s time-spanning elegance is
its anticipation of modern television; without “You
Can’t Take It With You,” the modern TV sitcom may not
exist.
“In a time when radio was popular, Hart and Kaufman had
the forethought to create a situation worthy of modern
entertainment,” Renata said.
Although the play is relevant to a contemporary audience, it can
be challenging for the modern world. With the undertones of an
earlier period of American history, the script was reworked to not
propagate the stereotypes of the day that certain characters
possessed. Particularly, Renata’s character was updated to
not portray a stereotype, but rather a person working in home with
valid relationships.
“This play challenges me because I am a very modern woman
of this century,” Renata said. “I am an African
American woman, and it was challenging to take on the role of Rheba
knowing that it had that language of the ’30s for my
people.”
With the modernized revival, “You Can’t Take It With
You” fills the Geffen’s 2004-2005 season’s
celebration of American originals. This play is a manifestation of
the American experience as it presents the family unit in a time of
crisis.
“It appropriately reflects what the family experience is
within a home and how odd it can be, how funny it can be, how warm
and loving it can be,” Renata said.
While the family presented is unconventional, and situations are
exaggerated to incite comedic relief, the play celebrates the roots
of America in its celebration of the American family.
“The play is a celebration of relationships, of family
relationships, of romantic relationships, of unconventional
relationships,” Renata said. “It celebrates life and
how people experience life within a very unconventional
family.”
