Lost in Yonkers

Lost in Yonkers, Press Release April 2005.

Neil Simon's Pulitzer Prize Winning Comedy
Lost in Yonkers at the Kingsley Theatre Redditch
on Wednesday 20th - Saturday 23rd APRIL 2005, 7.30 pm

If you thought that while the Palace Theatre is shut for refurbishment there would be no performances by Wythall Theatre Company, then think again. The company have found a temporary home at the Kingsley Theatre at Kinglsey College, Redditch while the Palace gets its facelift.

Wythall Theatre Company take to the stage with popular playwright Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers. His plays are comedies treating recognizable aspects of modern middle-class life. This play, however, written in 1991 and winner of the Purlitzer Drama Prize, differs as it is set in the 1940’s. Simon is particularly adept at portraying the middle-aged and is a master jokesmith who builds up his characters through funny lines rather than plot. The company is pleased to welcome two members of the Palace Youth Theatre to the cast. Sam Marriott and James Cassidy take the roles of Jay and Arty.

Set during World War Two, Lost in Yonkers is the story of two brothers who are sent to live with their matriarchal grandmother after their mother’s death.

Grandma Kurnitz rules her roost with an iron fist, a bitter old lady she shares her house reluctantly with her two grandchildren her stern demands, ever-present whacking cane, and caustic mustard soup combine to teach her clan about the world's harsh truth. "It's not important that you hate me," she says. "It's important that you live."

Also caught in her grasp is the boy’s lovely Aunt Bella who has the mind of a child and the dreams of a woman. It is she who makes the boys 10 month stay bearable.

But when Uncle Louie, a small time gangster, arrives on the scene everyone gets a surprising second chance at happiness.

This is a touching and magical tale full of laughter and tears !

Tickets are available from the Kingsley Theatre Box Office on 01527 830728

From the Wythall Theatre Company’s Ticket Secretary on 07980 310606 or 01564 823470

Ticket Prices: £7.50 and £7.00 (disc rate)

Paul Hughes, Various

Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon

For many years Wythall Theatre Company has presented popular, high-quality plays at the Palace Theatre. The temporary move to the Kingsley posed many problems, but they were all overcome. The high standards have been maintained if not improved.

Director Mike Beamish has chosen a Tony Award Winning play and delivered a polished, professional production.

Lost in Yonkers is a bittersweet drama comedy set in the 1940s, and the set and costumes beautifully conjured up the period.

The cast of seven delivered first class performances, maintaining the rapid pace of the humour, but still injecting moments of pathos. The family was headed by Val Archer as the steely Grandma Kurnitz, a bravura performance. Her four children were contrasting characters, well portrayed – Roger Warren’s hilariously slippery Uncle Louie, Ed Parrott’s weak but devoted Eddie, Denise Bishop capturing the child-like naiveté and optimism of the simple Bella and Jenny Theakston’s effective and funny debut as Gert.

The play relied on two central performances of maturity and timing from the young actors playing the grandsons Arty and Jay. This production was blessed with two superb young teenagers, James Cassidy and Sam Marriott. Both performed both the drama and the comedy with expert delivery and timing. Sam Marriott in particular has a bright future on stage if he chooses it, with two or three scenes that were outstanding.

This polished production was a triumph, and I hope the next production at the Kingsley in November will be as good and even better supported.

Tony Lacey, Redditch Advertiser, Wednesday, May 11, 2005