Fastforwarded ‘Father’ proves fiercely funny

Tom Titus

What do you get when you take a classic comedy from the turn of the

century (the 20th, not the 21st) and transport it, freeze-dried and

fastforwarded, to the 1950s?

In the case of Vanguard University’s revival of “Life With

Father,” you get a lot more laughs than you probably deserve. True,

many of them are driven by character gestures and grimaces, but

they’re laughs all the same.

Director Andrew Levy has taken Clarence Day’s memoir of growing up

under a demanding but loving father and brought them as far into the

modern era as he dared to, without losing the mannered texture of the

play. His strikingly enthusiastic cast has taken it from there.

The result is not only a loved and lovable slice of Americana,

brought into more recognizable context, but also an often hilarious

treatise on life within the nuclear family with only a few of the

original play’s old-timey characteristics evident.

Levy is not above using sight gags for effect -- casting the

diminutive Mark Parker in the central role and the marvelous Kathryn

Scott, a full head taller than Parker, as his loving and delicate

wife Lavinia, or Vinnie. That she must bend over to offer him a

perfunctory peck on the cheek is an added smile-inducer.

Parker may not be physically imposing, but his word -- generally

at the top of his voice -- is law in the Day household, and his

sputtering resistance regarding unnecessary expenditures or, in

particular, his own baptism, is commandingly conveyed. He simmers

with an exceedingly strong sense of self-righteousness using his

volcanic temper on such lines as “Why did God create so many fools

and Democrats?”

Scott is a captivating contrast, sweetly pushing all the right

buttons to turn her husband’s head and heart, often giving him the

impression that his change of mind was his own idea. It’s an elegant

interpretation of the stereotypical ‘50s housewife.

Andrew Smith shines as the eldest of the four Day children, about

to enter Yale and in desperate need of a new suit to establish his

own identity, rather than his father’s hand-me-down, which carries

the elder man’s character as well. His younger, more mischievous

brother is nicely interpreted by Tony Console.

Smith’s head is turned 180 degrees by a comely visitor (Danielle

Melilli) who proceeds to melt his father-induced stubbornness with

her charming innocence. She’s accompanied by a relative, believably

and blandly played by Harmony Whaling.

Both Ryan Stice as the Episcopal minister and Jeanette Shelton as

a house-calling doctor seem a bit hesitant in roles in which they

could briefly dominate. Siblings Connor and Karli Berkompas are quite

convincing as the younger Day children.

A running gag in the household is the rapid turnover in maids due

to Parker’s egregious temper. Ecclesia Price and Kari Lynn handle

these double-duty assignments nicely, while Chrissy Tiholiz staunchly

interprets the stolid cook who remains through thick and thin.

In the event that audiences aren’t aware of the production’s

updated period, Levy introduces the first act with a selection of

1950s TV commercials for such products as Wildroot Cream Oil (“A

little dab’ll do ya”) and Alka-Seltzer (“Plop, plop, fizz, fizz”) on

a downstage scrim curtain. There’s even a poodle skirt (on Melilli)

in the mix.

Paul Eggington has designed an immaculate and very ‘50s interior

setting, splendidly lighted by David Pecoraro. Lia Hansen’s period

costumes -- especially the full skirts on the women -- are

particularly effective in setting the time frame.

While elements of the original venue ($15 for a man’s suit)

remain, this updated “Life With Father” succeeds in tickling its

audience’s fancy, not to mention its funny bone.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.