William Saroyan's drama "The Time of Your Life" kicked off the Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Program's 2010–11 season this weekend at the Pell Chafee Performance Center downtown.
Set in 1939 San Francisco, the play revolves around the happenings of Nick's Pacific Street Saloon, a local honky-tonk catering to regulars, eccentric passersby and the occasional society couple taking a break from the more sophisticated watering holes uptown.
Nick, played by Charlie Thurston MFA'12, is a good, sensible guy, very protective of his bar and patrons. Throughout the play, he attempts to help his customers navigate the turbulent and dark corners of their lives while battling his own demons — namely his lack of faith in humanity.
Thurston's steady performance is well-delivered with subtle sarcasm, providing the audience with a counterweight to the shocking events of the play. As with any good bartender, the audience leaves feeling like they can trust Nick to have their backs and keep their secrets.
One of Nick's most frequent customers — and the principal character of the play — is Joe, played by the charming and endearing Philippe Bowgen MFA'12. Joe describes himself in the show as a man with "a Christian conscience in a world that's got no conscience." Keeping himself in the money through all manner of tricks and trades, Joe spends his days at Nick's, drinking champagne and trying to live "a civilized life — a life that doesn't hurt any other life."
To this end, Joe takes care of his infinitely loyal though simple-minded peon Tom (Lovell Holder MFA'12), farm-girl turned prostitute Kitty (Lauren Lubow MFA'12) and various other patrons who spark his generosity and kind-hearted nature.
The world tests Joe continually, though. As hard as he tries to make everyone happy, the city itself presents him with more and more obstacles. Whether it be money, the law or societal norms, Joe cannot succeed in protecting everyone.
The play is about the "darker side of humanity with people who have been put to the side in society," Thurston said.
Despite the heavy themes, Saroyan's play remains hopeful and even comedic at times. For example, Tommy Dickie MFA'12 plays the jovial and often drunk Kit Carson. An ex-cowboy who has survived three wars, four wives and countless children whose names he can't recall, Kit comes into the bar looking like a man on a mission. After chugging a beer, he asks Joe an important question: "I don't suppose you've ever fell in love with a midget weighing 39 pounds?"
The production's strength came from the terrific interactions between various patrons. The large ensemble cast — featuring 18 actors — worked together seamlessly to portray a realistic and absorbing day in the life of the down and out. The city threatens to swallow its inhabitants as they struggle to make it to tomorrow.
The play called into question many relevant themes for individuals today: hope, greed and loss of self are just some of the notes the play touches on.
"It's a real slice of life play," said Director Michael Perlman '05 MFA'10 of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama first performed in 1939. "It's about people trying to find hope and optimism in a time where there is little hope and optimism left."
The cast included second-year graduate students from the Brown/Trinity Rep acting and directing programs. "It's a studio project," Perlman said. "So the focus is really on the acting. Everyone has something fun to do."
The actors, having worked together for two years, have seen each other's shortcomings and triumphs, which can sometimes make working together a challenge, Thurston said. The play, with its themes of compassion and support, reflects what the actors do together each day, he added.
Perlman said Brown/Trinity Rep productions often feel removed from College Hill. They generally attract a different set of patrons, including Trinity Rep faithfuls and local theater enthusiasts.
"Trinity is Providence's theater, and we're aware of that connection," Thurston said. "We have an obligation to our community to show them good art."
