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Peer Reviews The Great American Cheese Sandwich by
Burton Cohen Entire contents are copyright © 2008 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.
The Necessary Theatre focuses on the family as they present two absurdist comedies, one of which is actually funny. The Great American Cheese Sandwich is Burton Cohen's first play, first published in 1983. While the play has some funny moments, the hokey hillbilly accents are about as grating as those in "Hee Haw." Tad Chitwood, as the paterfamilias, extols the virtues of a giant cheese sandwich the size of a pizza box. Ol' Great American has been with the family through thick and thin, always there to save the day. His farm-wife, played by Susan Linville, is upset because her corncobs are too sour for her to make her prize-winning jelly this year. What a dilemma! Daughter Betsy (Brianna Clemerson) is all dolled up for her prom and seeks her father's and brother's approval of her appearance. Her mother gives her advice on "sparkin'," oblivious to the fact that the girl is obviously preggers. One wonders who fathered her child. Betsy's brother Tom (James Hatfield) knows only about footballs and goalposts, so it's probably not him. Besides, Tom sports star-shaped rhinestone earrings and is excited about going to his coach's house so they can talk about strategy while the wife is out of town. Hatfield has a lot of fun with his role and plays it for laughs, but not too broadly, as he coyly asks his family, "Do I look good in beige?" He slyly bats his eyes at the photographer (James Cronin) who mysteriously appears even before Ma's jelly is cooked. Clemerson's hillbilly accent is almost too authentic in contrast to the others' obviously satirical ones. Her character's double life is meant to be funny, but just doesn't work here. In the end, the clan realizes how important they are to each other, as Father asks, "What's a family for, but to pull together during a catastrophe?" Cheese Sandwich fizzles out in the end, leaving a feeling of indigestion behind. Steve Martin's WASP, on the other hand, is time well spent. Martin's comedies are witty and deliver a real message. WASP is no exception. He gives us the typical 1950's American nuclear family — father, mother, son and daughter — who gather around the dinner table but don't hear what the others are saying.
Mike Brooks is splendid as the grim, unfeeling white male who delights in making his neighbors jealous. His son wants a bicycle, and Dad explains that a luxury item, like a bike, "is a thing that you have that annoys other people that you have it." For his part, Dad chose a "very green lawn" to cause envy. Leah Michelle Roberts is the Mom, wearing a stiff white dress with a full skirt, hair tastefully pulled back from her impeccably made-up face. When she flashes her bright smile, it's as if you were watching a Gleem commercial in the days when it boasted "GL-70," that special odor- and bacteria-fighter. Roberts' acting skills seem to get better each time I see her. A natural actor, all eyes are on her when she's on the stage. Ben Owens (a member of the Indicators Improv Troupe, along with James Cronin) makes his face appear to grow long as he sits slack-jawed at the family table, where he tries not to eat Mom's cherry jello ring salad with mango on top. Owens plays his part like a mash-up of Beaver, Wally, Lumpy and Eddie Haskell. Likewise, Susan Schroeder, as "Sis," conveys the utter boredom and hopelessness of being trapped in a family where everyone hides their true selves. Martin cleverly shows us the characters' rich, inner lives, however. If only they could reach across that river to each other, like Running Bear to Little White Dove — well, now that would be something!
The Great American Cheese Sandwich and WASP The Necessary Theatre Featuring Tad Chitwood, Susan Linville, Briana Clemerson, Joe Hatfield, Mike Brooks, Leah Michelle Roberts, Ben Owens, Susan Schroeder, James Cronin and Delilah Smyth. Posted May 12, 2008
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