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Talking Pictures
By Horton Foote
Directed by Henry Wishcamper
At the Goodman’s Owen Theatre
170 N. Dearborn
Chicago, IL
Call 312-573-0011, tickets $10 - $38
Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes with intermission
Through March 2, 2008
Nostalgic Talking Pictures launches Horton Foote Festival
The Goodman Theatre has launched an ambitious theatrical treat with several works of legendary playwright/screenwriter Horton Foote with his 1994 stage play Talking Pictures. The Goodman’s 400 seat Owen Theatre is configured in-the-round for the first time for the Festival. This works nicely as it adds intimacy to the show.
Horton Foote’s over fifty years of writing plays and films features his realistic portrayal of locales and characters of southeastern Texas. In Talking Pictures, Foote returns to Texas in 1929 just as talking pictures are replacing silent films. Foote uses this event as the catalyst to describe the overwhelming change in American society. The 20’s booming will soon become the Great Depression.
The Jackson family runs a boarding house in the small Texas town of Harrison. Mr. Jackson (Jason Wells) is a 25 year veteran railroad engineer who is worried that he is being moved by the railroad. His wife (Judy Blue) is a devote Methodist whose conservative social views are tested by myriad crises. Myra (Jenny McKnight), their boarder, struggles to support herself and her 14 year old son Pete (Bubba Weiler) by playing the piano at the silent movie theatre. The spread of talking pictures could soon wipe out her job. Pete is torn between living with his mother and his father (Dan Waller), a wealthy remarried man from Huston. He boasts a truck, a car and a swimming pool in his home.
The story is told through the two teenage Jackson sisters (Lee Stark and Kathleen Romond). These siblings depict the struggle between wanting change and preserving the status quo. From meeting a “mex-e-can” Baptist to the horrors of moving pictures (especially talking pictures), Mrs. Jackson resists the social change that she fears will contaminate her daughters. The cast deftly uses the distinct Texas drawl.
The sleepy pace of this show aptly depicts the slowness of life in rural America in 1929. But, just around the corner change calls. Willis (Philip Earl Johnson), another boarder, is smitten with Myra. Problem: Willis never got divorced from Gladys (Audrey Francis). When she appears (now five years later), Willis rejects her. This story becomes complicated also by the Jackson’s moving and Pete’s desire to leave his mother and move in with his father in Huston.
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These events shake up and shatter the end of an era and the fear of the future. Seen through the eyes of well developed characters, Talking Pictures is a most worthy and interesting look at social change. We see how basically good people can justify prejudice about ethnic groups and religions out of sheer isolation and ignorance. We also witness the strength of one American family and the demise of another American family that will become the contradiction of American society. The rapid change beginning in 1929 is foreshadowed nicely in this nostalgic work. The play could use a 20 minute trip and a quicker pace but basically it is an enjoyable trip to 1920’s Texas. I especially enjoyed Jenny McKnight, Philip Earl Johnson, Lee Stark and Kathleen Romond.
The Horton Foote Festival is off to a pleasant start. We see how strong Foote is with character development.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2008
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