AACT stays aoat on golden pond

Those of us lumped, unwillingly, into the statistical category of "Generation X-ers" often find it difficult to get out. Magazines, television, film and popular culture in general are all tyrannically ruled by people our age, and we have to look pretty hard to find someone outside of this age group.

In case anyone is interested, the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre has just the geriatric serving for you.

"On Golden Pond," the play by Ernest Thompson which inspired the Oscar-winning film featuring Katharine Hepburn, opened this past weekend and continues through Sunday. Directed by Jeff Zupan, it's a light, refreshing look into another generation of which we usually don't see too much.

While Dorothy, Rose, Sophia and Blanche will always be there for us, thanks to Lifetime, anyone else over the age of 30 is reduced to an existence in obscurity, making way for the young and the attractive. Wherever can we go to find anything of consequence dealing with the lives of this generation?

Old people can in fact be entertaining (see Grandpa Simpson), and they are most interesting when it is taken into account that they're people, not just punchlines or props, mementos of a bygone era.

We're aided in this endeavor by the engaging performances of David Keren and Phyllis Wright as Norman and Ethel Thayer. They bring to their roles a bubbling vivacity and, though at times a bit hammy (Keren occasionally reminds one of Bull the bailiff from TV's "Night Court"), captivate the audience and thankfully refrain from becoming mere caricature.

Keren works quite nicely as Norman, the retired professor who uses his quick wit and winning smile to avoid facing the realities that come with old age: loss of memory and loss of family. The internal tension between a man morbidly obsessed with death while making wisecracks around the cottage is fascinating.

He gets his kicks from making other people feel uncomfortable, most acutely in a scene where he meets his daughter's new boyfriend. While we squirm along with the poor guy (meeting your girlfriend's father and having him turn out to be like Norman is every man's greatest fear), we can't help but enjoy Norman enjoying himself.

As Norman's wife of 48 years, Wright gives an equally winning performance. Without any hint of arrogance, she buzzes about the cottage as the mistress of her domain, fully equipped with a satisfying retort for every one of Norman's jabs. She has a similarly enjoyable relationship with the other characters.

The only disappointing performance comes from Karen M. Foran as the couple's daughter, Chelsea. From the moment of her awkward entrance, she neither establishes any sort of relationship with either of her parents, nor does she convincingly portray a middle-aged woman living a frustrated life thanks, in part, to the whims of her unsatisfied father. When she finally does explode and lash out, it seems to come straight out of nowhere, lacking any buildup, and consequently doesn't satisfy.

"On Golden Pond" offers some good laughs, but that's as deep as it gets.

Zupan has a far better appreciation for the humor in the play than the drama, which ought to come out just as strong.

Instead of letting serious exchanges come about through the characters, he uses them mainly as vehicles for jokes and relies more on his lighting designer than his actors to achieve dramatic effect.

If you find yourself a bit homesick and longing for your grandparents, Bob Dole or Matlock, you might want to stop by the Civic and give "On Golden Pond" a shot. The elderly are alive and well, and just as kicking as ever.

"On Golden Pond" runs tomorrow through Saturday at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Student tickets are available for $9, with adult seats at $12. The Ann Arbor Civic Theater is located at 2275 Platt Road, just off of Washtenaw Ave., east of I-23. Tickets can be ordered by calling 971-AACT, or purchased at the door.

09-30-98