Wednesday, May 13, 2015

THE HOUSE OF YES …West Hollywood






If you have escaped from a crazy family, its not a good idea to bring your sweet naïve fiancé home to meet the folks. That’s the mistake the hero of this delightfully funny play makes, with both hilarious and horrific results. 

Playwright Wendy MacLeod wrote it over 25 years ago and it has been produced worldwide ever since, including as a film starring Parker Posey and Tori Spelling.  If you missed these incarnations, here is a chance to catch up since MacLeod’s absurdist outlook on family dynamics, mental health and gun ownership is totally current and pertinent.


Directed at full throttle by Lee Sankowich, all of the actors are superb. Leading the mad pack is Kate Maher as the cuckoo-bird twin-sister; Eileeen T'Kaye as the eccentric mother, and Nicholas McDonald as the infantile kid brother. 

Visiting are Colin McGurk as the brother not sane enough to run, and Jeanne Syquia as a young gal rather too compliant for her own good.

The suburban set by Adam Haas Hunter, well lit by Rebecca Raines, is dramatically enhanced by Norman Kern’s sound effects. Costumes by Wendell C. Carmichael and props by Natalya Zernitskaya subtly suggest the 1980’s.

Produced by Sankowich and Margie Mintz. At the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, through June 14. Tickets: (323) 960-5563 or www.plays411.com/houseofyes.
 Photos by EdKrieger.
Note: See my review below of MacLeod’s ‘Things Being What They Are’ now playing at the Road Theatre in North Hollywood.

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