Morning's at Seven--A Heartfelt Delight

        By Joseph Cervelli

I was unaware that the very well received Tony Award winning 1980 production of Paul Osborn's "Morning's at Seven" was not the original. The show premiered in 1938 and only played about 44 performances. Thankfully, the first Broadway revival ran for over 500. The show which is a perennial regional favorite is now being revived at St. Clement's Theater and it is a sheer delight with a superb cast you cherish every given moment. 

For some strange reason I never saw any production of "Morning's" so had this fear it would not hold up well and be some rickety relic. On the contrary. While there is a scene in which Carl (John Rubenstein) is going through a serious midlife crisis while  looking for a "fork in a road" and places his head against the tree is played for laughs you just need to accept the fact that depression was not taken as seriously as it rightfully is right now. There were some laughs at that scene but it does not exacerbate what turns out to be a temporary mental instability of the character.

Harry Feiner's pastoral looking set with two houses sit next to each other and Barbara A Bell's well calibrated costumes along with James E. Lawlor III's warm lighting set the mood for what is deceiving. Everything looks tranquil on the surface but there is a lot of tension between the four sisters three of which live across from each other. 

Taking place in 1922 in what is simply called "An American town" Cara (Lindsay Crouse) lives with her her husband, Thor, (Dan Lauria) and Cara's loquacious unmarried sister, Arry (Alley Mills.) While Cara seems very content (not long lasting)  there is a unsettling annoyance she feels for Arry. First, having her living with them for close to 45 years is not easy. Second, there is some other prickly issue I won't divulge that has been festering in Cara all this time. Thor is more of a laid-back type of guy trying to keep the peace between both of them. 

In the adjacent house lives sister Ida (Alma Cuervo) with Carl and their grown son, Homer, Jonathan Spivey. Homer who has been dating Myrtle (Keri Safran) for close to twelve years cannot commit to marriage despite the fact Carl has built a new house for them. The jittery Homer just cannot leave his home. 

There is another sister Esther (Patty McCormick) married to a retired snobbish professor David (Tony Roberts.) David dislikes the family calling them "morons" and with hilarious deadpan delivery announces to them,  "You all know how much you all depress me." He even forbids Esther from visiting them though the most grounded of the sisters refuses to comply. 

The key reason to pay a visit is the enchanting cast. Under Dan Wackerman's skilled direction he allows each actor to shine in their respective roles.

Crouse carefully balances her character's  love for Thor while trying to deal with the overbearing Arry. Lauria who gave a bravura performance portraying Vince Lombardi in the play "Lombardi" is on target  as Thor trying to offer advice to both his wife and sister-in-law who are at uncertain odds with each other. Mills who is a new addition to the show is perfect as a likable though annoying Arry whom you begin to feel sorry for. She wanted a home of her own but lives vicariously through her sister and brother-in-law. Cuervo does well as Ida trying to deal with her husband's issues and her son's own immaturity. McCormick easily makes Esther the most reasonable of the sister's probably because she does not live next to them. By the play's end you see exactly how shrewd a character she is and McCormick plays with with total believablity. 

Rubenstein is a joy as Carl and what a complete pleasure having that Broadway icon Tony Roberts back on stage. He certainly never misses with his wonderfully snarky remarks at the family. Both Spivey and Safran nearly steal the show with their impeccable comic turns. Safran is a real find reminding me of actress Julie Hagerty (who incidentally was in the 1980 revival.) She never tries to imitate Hagerty but has that same type of off beat humor. Her effusiveness at being almost nauseatingly polite when she first meets Ida is priceless. Watch what happens when she tries to be as ebullient to David. Spivey is completely entertaining as someone appearing to have a panic attack whenever he speaks and begins to drive the sweet Myrtle to wonder about their relationship. 

Osborne has written a play about old age and the travails that ensue but at the same time trying to get across the fact that as we age we need to embrace not only the years ahead but those family members that are still around. It is hard as he indicates to let go of past dalliances or lies that we have been through with those closest to us but to what end should we perpetuate them. His belief seems to be we may not forget but to forgive and move on.

PHOTOS: Maria Baranova

Tickets are available at Theatre at Saint Clement's 423 West 46th Street.