TheatreAddict.com - Bakersfield Drama Blog

On the surface William Inge's "Picnic" seems quite sedate. A small town in the 50's, average characters, nothing really all that intriguing. Ordinary people, ordinary day. But through Inge's obvious skill as a playwright, it wrestles with some of humanity's deepest anxieties in subtle but enthralling ways. Components of Bakersfield Community Theatre's September production live up to this fiery potential, but sadly, others fall desperately short.

It's a bright September day, perhaps much like this one, in a small Kansas town. The characters are introduced in unremarkable ways. Flo Owens (Jill Kelbert) wants to force her own regrets on beauty-queen daughter, Madge. Youngest daughter Millie (Jodi Lowry) strives to emerge from her sister's shadow by immersing herself in books, art, and poetry. Madge (Kelci Lowry) finds success and acceptance everywhere because of her good looks, but ends up feeling sad and empty.

The lives of the Owens girls and their neighbors are disrupted when a drifter enters their lives. Hal (Sam Hall) shows up to find his college friend, Alan, who turns out to also be Madges boyfriend. Hal walks onto the scene, oblivious to the fact that there is so much angst and longing in the air you can almost taste it. All of the characters besides Hal seem to be overwhelmed with loneliness, longing, or regret...and each responds to Hal's presence in kind.

Neighbor Mrs. Potts (Morning Miller) makes him breakfast and mothers him. The girl's mother is skeptical and doesn't trust him. At first it seems it may just be a parent's natural reaction, a mother of young pretty girls is prone to chase off any horny young man that comes near them, but it may be something else. Mrs. Owens doesn't want to see her girls throw their lives away (the way she did) it turns out). The Owens girls, Millie and Madge, are also drawn to him for their own reasons. Millie is finally noticed, and Madge is amazed to be noticed for different reasons.

The stage is set for some passionate emotional fireworks. But alas, for me there were some duds.

First of all, the performances are slightly uneven. The Lowry girls are top notch in their believability and ease on stage. Most of the rest of the cast is fairly good, though there were some awkward moments. But Hal seems to be in a different production than everyone else. His bravado and self confidence seem forced and come off as cocky. He struts around the stage like he owns the world and when the curtain comes down never he quite becomes likable to the audience. That's kind of a requirement for the show to work, the audience must feel some of the angst that is inspired by his entanglements with the rest of the characters. No likability, no angst.

Picnic is rather dark, but is filled with some downright beautiful insight and emotion. Young love is bursting at the seams, and when it explodes in awesome yet destructive ways, the audience gets to feel it.

Madge asks her mother "What can you do with the love you feel?"

This to me hit home, and points out an underlying theme in the show. Life is gut-wrenching, as is love, and so is "Picnic."

This is ever apprent in the climactic moments. There is one (as you may guess) that involves the young lovers. There is another one that didn't read as much to me in the script, but is very touching when it is brought to life on stage. Parallel to Madge asking and answering her question about love, is another plotline and revealing moment involving schoolteacher Rosemary (Julie Jordan-Scott) and her friend-boy, Howard (Mark Tarango).

For years Rosemary and Howard are content to live seprately as middle-aged boyfriend and girlfriend. They never consumate their relationship (at least as I heard one line elude to) and never seem very serious. In one scene, suddenly something pushes Rosemary off of the edge of reason and she explodes with yearning to be had and loved. What do you do with the love you feel? What if you never get to have that love given to you? Brought to life by passional Julie Jordan-Scott, Rosemary's scene was one of the most moving in the play to me...and really seemed to compliment the main plotline and emotional arch of the show.

Here you have this sublime small town, fairly boring in fact. But under the surface you have people screaming to be loved and noticed, scrambling to try to figure out what to do with the huge feelings they feel. It's a universal portrayal of human passion and struggle. It's touching and beautiful, and though the story is dark and doesn't leave you with a positive affirmation of the perfection of love, it will move you.

BCT's production is somewhat uneven, but definitely a good attempt with great acting. I think the biggest travesty for me is not seeing it live up to it's full potential. I wanted to be moved to tears the way I was when I read the script, and I wasn't quite.

For more information on the show, go here:

http://www.bakersfieldcommunitytheatre.org/nowplaying.htm

and make sure to read NL & Matildakay's completely different reactions to Picnic, here:

http://www.nlbelardes.com/blogger/2006/09/nl-goes-to-picnic-by-nl-belardes.html

http://matildakay.com/2006/09/picnic.html

posted by TheatreAddict.com  # 4:57 PM