There is a particular fondness in my heart for hearing someone bellow at a person for being “an old poop.” A term of endearment rather than of malice or mockery, the chirping out of “you old poop” became synonymous with the surprise 1981 hit film On Golden Pond (the phrase, for context, was uttered over and over by a gracefully aging Katherine Hepburn). The sensational hit film, starring dueling generations of Fondas, and its original source material, the play of the same name by Ernest Thompson, examine a sort of unique brand of tragic pastoral, exploring the mental decay of a particularly stodgy old poop, and the quality of familial and romantic relationships as they withstand the various distresses and complications of aging.
Iron Horse Theatre—a relative newcomer to the bustling dramaturgical scene in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh-adjacent, setting up shop in Ambridge in January 2016—has reopened the world of curmudgeonly coming-of-old-age in their recent adaptation of Thompson’s Pond. Boasting a small but very gifted and pleasantly recognizable cast, Iron Horse’s version of Pond delivers an abundance of laughs and subtle poignancy that enlivens the audience throughout. Taking on a role that rivals Archie Bunker in how unabashedly problematic he is, John C.R. Silbert is a vigorously obstreperous Norman Thayer Jr. Silbert manages to capture the last remnants of a crumbling ego (he’ll gladly pronounce how he is Professor Emeritus at University of Pennsylvania despite the fact he is losing his grip on memories, names, and what he did mere moments ago) that is incongruously blended with stalwart smartasses and hints of delicate fear and tenderness. The precise complexity that Silbert brings to Norman is aptly complemented by the deft theatrics of his costars, particularly Nina Napoleone as Norman’s daughter Chelsea and Zach Aaron as Billy Ray Jr., Chelsea’s boyfriend’s son who comes to stay with Norman and his wife for a summer (at his wife’s behest).
Napoleone’s sensitive yet sarcastic turn as Chelsea is critical to the show’s success (and Norman’s digestibility as a character), as it is Chelsea’s visit to her parent’s summer home on Golden Pond that serves as a catalyst for most of the plot and the emotionality of the story. To this effect, Zach Aaron’s Billy Ray Jr. serves as the youthful comic relief and a comic buddy to Norman. Aaron balances the elements of harmlessly arrogant teen and curious childishness adroitly, and never succumbs to the bratty teen tropes. Scenically, the stage design of Pond is marvelously executed to convey the quaint and bucolic essence of the summer getaway. Moreover, the set design exquisitely captures the arrested splendor that homes of aging couples so often emanate—it is a home crystallized in the once-was, as it’s occupants frightfully move towards their ends.
The difficulty with bringing a play like Pond to the stage in 2018 is the egregious bigotry and callousness of many of Norman’s thoughts and spewed ideologies. While the plethora of antisemitic jokes, vague homophobia, and body-shaming played well in the 80s and 90s—indeed, they were familiar sources of humor in an incredible number of shows and films I grew up watching and memorizing—the content today settles unpleasantly. Pond’s presentation is spot-on and a massive hit with audiences, particularly audience members of earlier generations. The vexing parts of the play’s material and the troublesome facets of some of the characters, namely Norman, beg the question of what the importance of reviving certain characters and plays without censure or consideration to the altered mores of current times may be. Every aspect of Pond is exemplary and shows tremendous promise for the company’s growth, but one must be sure to keep a discerning mind when considering the content.
On Golden Pond at the Iron Horse Theatre in Ambridge has its remaining performances on October 19th and 20th at 7:30 pm with a Sunday Matinee on the 21st at 2:00 pm. For tickets visit http://www.ironhorsetheatrecompany.com/tickets/
Categories: Archived Reviews