Theater review

By Megan Ma, Town Crier Staff Writer

courtesy of Pear Avenue Theatre The strength of Pear Avenue’ production of “Long Day’s Journey into Night” is the cast. The drama runs through Oct. 22.

Resurrect the spirit of acclaimed playwright Eugene O’Neill, an ostensible depressive, and you’re likely to conjure that lone figure of Mary Tyrone, morphine addict and O’Neill’s real life mother, shrouded in white.

In Pear Avenue Theatre’s production of “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” the road to darkness descends quickly but without much novelty, inventive staging or even creative license, for that matter. But the considerably talented cast pulls off a solid production of the masterpiece. Special kudos should go to Diane Tasca, who is mesmerizing as Mrs. Tyrone in an unusually sophisticated, albeit desperate performance.

In her dreamy observations, she accomplishes what many actresses, too eager to shape this classic, hackneyed role overlook - an authentic sensitivity that taps emotions beneath the surface that are deeper, older and grander. Clearly, Tasca strongly connected with the role. James Tyrone, played by Tom Ammon, seems less convincing as a resigned father who gets exposed as a powerless tightwad at nearly every turn of the scene. While Ammon seems to expose Tyrone’s choking ineptitude at earning respect from his sons, the trademark brawling masculinity of the role falls by the wayside.

John Russell is adept as James Tyrone Jr., the older brother who, in one particularly well-staged scene, spouts vitriolic words at his sickly younger brother with a gutsy fervor bordering on maniacal.

There is one odd characterization that seems to miss the mark. Cathleen, played by Sarah Eismann, is the Irish servant girl who often sneaks a drink. But Eismann’s suspicious looks, her rickety bashful tone seem paper thin and mistakenly contrite.

In this small theater space, director Jeanie Forte utilizes the staging device of having each actor take turns sitting in the audience while speaking. It’s an appropriate staging that works well.

It’s the final act that feels fractured - moving almost too quickly toward inevitable doom. For a long play, even as the actors start to feel exhausted, it’s often crucial to hold the quiet pace of this piece, especially as it caves into desperation and the ensuing spiritual mayhem. Here, the final lines sound expectant of each character’s impending fate and often, even hurried.

A solidly mediocre show with a few unusually nuanced performances, this play is worth seeing. However, I would have preferred a bolder, more searing contrast with the lighthearted beginning and the morose end.

To be clear: in the agony of O’ Neill’s closely autobiographical ode to the past, the joy - however little - should contrast heavily with the final scenes. In O’Neill’s play, as in his life, the joy seemed always to come at the beginning.

“Long Day’s Journey into Night” runs through Oct. 22. Performances are scheduled 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays at 1220 Pear Ave., Unit K, Mountain View. For tickets ($10-$25) and more information, call 254-1148 or visit www.thepear.org.