(L-R) Julie (Jan Maxwell), an acclaimed actress; her daughter Gwen (Kelli Barrett), a pert young girl just beginning her career; and Julie's mother, Fanny (Rosemary Harris), the matriarch of the clan, who is getting ready to return to the stage after a long illness, appear in "The Royal Family." (Joan Marcus) (Joan Marcus)
Said family in this case are the Cavendishes, known as the first family of American Theater (modeled after the Barrymores), who have held court in an elegant New York duplex apartment for the past several decades.
At the center of the family are Fanny (Rosemary Harris), the matriarch of the clan, who is getting ready to return to the stage after a long illness; her daughter Julie (Jan Maxwell), an acclaimed actress in her own right, who has struggled with a string of bad relationships; and Julie's daughter Gwen (Kelli Barrett), a pert young girl just beginning her career.
There's also Fanny's ne’er-do-well son Tony (played to the hilt by Reg Rogers in a wonderful impersonation of John Barrymore), a womanizing, hard-drinking thespian currently in California acting in moving pictures.
Also part of the family is Fanny's brother Herbert Dean (John Glover) and his wife Kitty (Ana Gasteyer). Both are well-known actors, yet neither have had the golden touch the rest of the clan carries when it comes to landing strong (and lucrative) stage roles.
While Fanny can't wait to get back to work, Julie finds herself going in the opposing direction when her old flame, Gilbert Marshall (Larry Pine), returns. The two parted 20 years earlier when it became apparent Julie would never give up the stage in order to become a corporate wife. Now, tiring of the endless grind of the theater, she is seriously considering chucking it all for a second chance with him.
Tipping the scales is the fact that Gwen is going through a rough time of her own with Perry Stewart (Freddy Arsenault), a rising young banker she hopes to marry. Vowing that her daughter (and any grandchildren) will have the stable home life she was denied, Julie determines Gwen will indeed marry Perry and walk away from the world of acting—something Julie is now determined to do as well.
However, it's not as simple as all that. Not only because there are people pushing Gwen and Julie to get back to work, such as the family's long-time manager Oscar (Anthony Newfield, ably filling in for Tony Roberts the night this reviewer saw the show), but also because the theater is what the Cavendishes love most of all, show business literally running through their veins. They may try to get away from it for a while, but it always draws them back—especially when the strong-willed Julie and Gwen are facing a world where society expects them to become subservient to their respective mates.
While the acting is enjoyable, it's the script that's the star here. The writers have created a love letter to the theater—a place where people don't get up ‘till noon, where visitors come and go at all hours, and where getting to the stage on time is everybody's number one priority. (Maxwell shows this in a hilarious sequence to close Act 2.)
“The Royal Family” is also a story of sacrifice. Although the glamour of the footlights may be a wonderful thing, the play also explores the strain it can exact. This is the case with Herbert, who sees that good roles get scarce once former matinee idols start to age.
There's also Gilbert and Perry who feel woefully out of place among the artistic set (and they with them). A telling conversation occurs when the two men converse about business while the family talks about acting. The two groups seem to be speaking in completely different languages, with neither making any effort to understand the other.
The entire cast is excellent. Among the standouts, in addition to those mentioned above, is David Greenspan's very funny turn as Jo, the family butler/personal handler/concierge, turning what could be a minor character into a strong supporting role. Jo is perfectly at home attending to every need of the family, no matter how outlandish. Greenspan does this with a perennial cheerfulness in his voice and a smile on his face, not to mention an air of “here we go again.”
Also deserving of mention are Harris, excellently playing an over-the-top diva determined to keep the memory of her husband and the family dynasty alive, and Glover, who nicely portrays a man battling the desperate realization that his best acting days are behind him.
The direction by Doug Hughes works perfectly, keeping the action moving at a brisk pace, often while several things are happening at once. Most importantly, the show never feels like a museum piece, but rather one that's fresh and alive. The set by John Lee Beatty is nicely opulent, as are the costumes by Catherine Zuber. Also strong are the fight direction by Rick Sordelet and the hair and wig design by Tom Watson.
Also in the cast are Carolyn Stefanie Clay, Rufus Collins, Henny Russell, Cat Walleck, and John Wernke.
The Royal Family
Manhattan Theatre Club
The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Running Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes, including two 10 minute intermissions
Closes: December 13
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
