A surprising entertainment has opened at Stage 3
Theatre in Sonora and continues through March 23. Park
Your Car in Harvard Yard is the
story of an elderly, retired schoolteacher and the young housekeeper he hires
after living alone his entire adult life in the same Gloucester, Massachusetts,
house where he grew up. It’s surprising because there are lots of laughs in the
play despite the fact that it deals with themes of retribution, redemption, and
reconciliation.
The
play appeared on Broadway in the early 90’s with Jason Robards and Judith Ivey
as “Mr. Brackish” and “Kathleen Hogan.”
The Sonora production features Stephen Daly and Susannah Holland and was
directed by Van Gordon, Stage 3’s new artistic director.
Over
the course of one year, the audience sees Kathleen, the recently-widowed
housekeeper, change from a backward bumbler to a mischievous manipulator. Of course, Mr. Brackish is no easy charge,
and we may sympathize with Kathy’s frustrations in dealing with him. But from their first day together it appears
they have been comically mis-matched, and one could wonder why they continue to
put up with each other. Only failing health it seems has forced Daly’s
character to tolerate Holland’s and allow her to live in his home. Apparently they each have an agenda, and the
pleasure lies in finding out whether or not they can resolve their differences,
how they will or won’t, and why they would even want to.
Daly
is most convincing as the fussy, domineering former teacher of literature and
music appreciation, who is used to having everything go his own way. It is easy to imagine how he could have
terrorized students with his formidably high standards, something he is only
slightly less interested in doing to Kathleen.
In the beginning Holland portrays such a mousey little thing, with her
own way of keeping house and butchering the English language. that it is quite
surprising to see how she changes. But
the best-kept secrets are finally revealed, and the “why” of this makeshift
relationship finally becomes clear.
The
theater is located at 208 South Green Street, in downtown Sonora. Tickets can be purchased online at www.stage3.org
or by calling the box office at 209-536-1778.
Box office hours are 4-7 pm, Thursday through Saturday, and Sunday 1-2,
and Wednesday 10-2.
Park your Car in Harvard Yard runs through March 23, 2014.
Shari Schweigler