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Regional Reviews: Las Vegas Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean Also see Mary's review of Farragut North
If the story sounds cringeworthy, apparently the critics agreed when Ed Graczyk's Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean opened on Broadway in 1976. (Robert Altman's film adaptation fared somewhat better.) The current production at the Las Vegas Little Theatre offers a chance to reappraise the work 40 years after its Broadway debut. On the plus side, the play's exploration of gender identity seems insightful for its time. Joe, the girls high school friend, suffered bullying, rejection, and physical abuse as a teenager because he failed to fit the traditional Texas image of a macho man. Joe's subsequent life choices reflect the few options available to a nontraditional male in small town Texas in the 1950s. The women, too, experience the consequences of being complicit in Joes ostracism. In other respects, however, the play's characters and storyline seem formulaic and hokey, the emotional crescendos and big reveals popping up at predictable intervals, much like the paint-by-numbers disaster movies of the 1970s. If Jimmy Dean ever was a good play, it has not aged well. The disparaging jokes about Mexicans and wetbacks are especially painful; the audience discomfort on opening night was palpable. Breathing life into this clumsy vehicle may be beyond the capacity of any amateur company. While LVLT gives it an honest effort, E. Wayne Worley's direction fails to elevate the material. Also, on opening night, the pacing in some scenes was far too slow, and some performers seemed to be searching for their lines. For the most part, the actors are adequate, but it would take stars with mega-wattage to make us care about most of these characters. There is a noticeable jump in energy late in the play, with the arrival of Stella May (a loud, coarse, brassy and fun Gillen Brey) and the sweet and simple Edna Louise (the talented Bonnie Belle, making a big impression in a relatively small role). A highlight of the evening is set designer Ron Lindblom's nostalgic five-and-dime store, lovingly stocked with details like the lunch counter's daily special (corn fritters) and a big box of Moon Pies. Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean continues through September 25, 2016, Thursday-Saturday at 8 pm, Sundays at 2pm, and Saturday, September 17, at 2 pm) at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89103. For tickets ($24 adults, $21 seniors and students) and further information, go to www.lvlt.org or call 702-362-7996. Cast Additional Creative |
