THEATER REVIEW -- Tom Titus

Horton Foote spins a fascinating yarn. His Texas townsfolk are a

colorful lot, but they’re in no hurry to move things along, as evidenced

by his Pulitzer Prize-winning “Young Man From Atlanta,” now in production

at the Newport Theatre Arts Center. At the moment, the octogenarian

playwright also is represented in a world premiere at South Coast

Repertory, “Getting Frankie Married -- and Afterwards,” which might be

termed the flip side of “Young Man.” It’s a comedic look at Foote’s

world, as opposed to the grimness of the Newport show, though it takes

even longer to complete.

You don’t rush Foote’s characters, and director Martin Benson doesn’t

attempt to. His staging emphasizes the lackadaisical nature of the

playwright’s Southern territory with its offbeat relationships, its giddy

gossip mongers and -- in this case -- its regional humor, some of it

strained by traumatic events.

“Getting Frankie Married” is the mission of the elderly Mrs. Willis --

here played by the illustrious Nan Martin -- whose son Fred (Joel

Anderson) has been courting his girlfriend Frankie (Juliana Donald) for

about a quarter of a century without putting a ring on her finger.

Martin’s character is determined to see her son married before she passes

on, an event which may be imminent.

Fred, however, hasn’t been altogether faithful in his relationship

with Frankie, as we learn when the trashy Helen Vaught (Sarah Rafferty)

sues him for breach of promise. Seems Fred once offered to marry Helen,

though he claims he was too drunk at the time to remember. This event

provides the catalyst for a hurry-up wedding, but the honeymoon is

short-lived as Helen creeps back into Fred’s life with a vengeance.

Martin excels as the frail, aging mother who must be helped in and out

of the living room to participate in the action, an achingly realistic

performance. Anderson underplays skillfully as an awkward 42-year-old

mama’s boy who bends to the prevailing winds, while Donald wins affection

as a gamine beauty upset by her role as the pawn in this familial chess

game.

Fringe characters provide much of the humor, particularly the

effervescent Linda Gehringer and the taciturn Hal Landon Jr., a

May-December relationship that’s about to expire. Gehringer offers a

rich, flashy depiction of her thrice-married good-time girl, while old

pro Landon steals his scenes with remarkable subtlety, drawing roars of

laughter with underplayed words or furtive gestures.

Three town gossips create a single ensemble character as Annie

LaRussa, Jennifer Parsons and Kristen Lowman huddle around Frankie

offering their support to her face and swapping scandalous secrets behind

her back. Barbara Roberts renders a believable account of the

Bible-clutching family maid, while Randy Oglesby upsets the prevailing

calm as a mysterious heir who also may be a family member, and Jason

Guess has a nice cameo as a justice of the peace.

As the romance takes a downturn in the second act, so too does the

mood of the play as the comedy turns into serious business, although not

heavy enough to prevent an occasional guffaw at an unexpected punch line.

Foote plays with the audience’s emotions like a master violinist, even

though the thread of his complex tale often is difficult to immediately

follow, as seemingly minor characters become integral plot devices.

Michael Devine, whose set design career with SCR dates back to the

earliest productions on the Newport Beach bayfront, has created a homey,

comfortable and spacious living room, well lighted by Tom Ruzika. Maggie

Morgan’s costumes add dashes of color to ostensibly drab characters.

“Getting Frankie Married -- and Afterwards” is an involving new work

from one of the masters of the craft, paced much like Southern life at

nearly three hours, yet filled with wrenching twists and turns along the

way.

* TOM TITUS writes about and reviews local theater for the Daily

Pilot. His stories appear Thursdays and Saturdays.

FYI

* What: “Getting Frankie Married -- and Afterwards”

* Where: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

* When: Through May 5. Show times are 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays,

2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays

* Cost: $27-$52

* Call: (714) 708-5555