By Rom Watson
c. October 9, 2015
Appropriate opened at the Mark Taper Forum on September 23, 2015. The author states that one of his inspirations was August: Osage County. The parallels are so numerous and so obvious that it’s impossible for anyone who has seen August: Osage County to not compare the two plays. They both begin with the death of a patriarch, both feature a poisonous female character of a certain age, both harbor family secrets that are later revealed, both contain a teenage girl, both feature relatives who have not seen each other in a while, both play out on a set with stairs, both have people yelling at each other, both take place in one home and both are long, three-act plays. Comparison reveals that Appropriate is the lesser play. The author, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, has talent, so hopefully his next play will be more original.
The first act was good, beginning with three siblings converging on the large home that has been in the family for generations in order to empty and sell it, now that their father is dead. The first act ends with the discovery of an old photograph album that may reveal much about the deceased father. The second act dragged, seeming more like a series of desultory two-characters scenes strung together as opposed to a cohesive second act. The third act got the energy back up by having many characters onstage at once. However, the play seemed to lose its way halfway through the third act. Or, maybe it just lost me halfway through the third act. Shorter would have been better. These characters are not likable enough to want to spend three hours with them. That’s the fault of the author, not the actors, who manage to keep the pace up even in the two-person scenes.
Casting was not ideal, as some of the actors looked either too young or too old for their role. All the actors were competent, but few rose above that level. During the play I wished the actresses playing the two oldest females had deeper voices. Upon reflection, perhaps it wasn’t deeper voices that were needed, but deeper conviction. However, I am very hesitant to blame the actors because the fault might have been the script or the direction.
As is typical of the Mark Taper Forum, the technical aspects were top notch. Special mention must be made of Mimi Lien’s set, which reveals more of its charms as the evening progresses. (To say more would spoil it.)
The author likes to stir debate without providing answers. Some will find this unsatisfying, while others will appreciate the debate. As an audience member, I don’t mind working to determine the meaning of the play I’m watching, but there should be more satisfactions along the way.
For instance, this play has humor, but not enough. This play has conflict, but it’s never invigorating like the conflict in August: Osage County. This play has secrets hidden and secrets revealed, but they seem parceled out by regulation. I could envision the characters lining up to get their secrets from the playwright like new prisoners lining up to get their uniforms.
After mulling it over, I did determine the meaning of the play, but it was my meaning and I have no idea if it was the meaning the playwright intended. Other audience members no doubt came up with their own meanings of what they saw. However, the final image makes it clear that the past, regardless of how much it is ignored, remains where everyone can see it.
Though never boring, I might have preferred reading this play as opposed to seeing it, even seeing a good production such as this one.
Appropriate closes November 1.
Hi Rom – I saw Appropriate two weeks ago. I agree with much of what you say in your review, The main points that I still have in my mind are: the main female was shrill and rarely stopped. The many squabbles mostly exploded without much preamble and just became noise – I lost track of viewpoints because they were all talking at once.
I thought that the three main clues about grandpa’s truth were mishandled. They talked about the graveyards enough times. But the jars of human remains were briefly shown then never mentioned again. This would have helped us to the truth if he had brought out the jars in Act II – thus deepening the mystery. While so much time was spent on the dang photo album!
Act III seemed as though the playwright was remembering a lesson from playwrighting class: make sure each character gets his or her own moment……which made the script longer. Did you notice that the program said “one intermission”? And then we were given two. So they must still be tinkering with the script. Let’s hope it gets some paring down before its next production.