STAGE REVIEWS : Grove Festival Revives ‘Our Town’

Even Mary McCarthy, who was no fan of Thornton Wilder’s plays during her years as a theater critic, regarded “Our Town” with grudging admiration. For once, she conceded, his “perennial nostalgia” had found “a pure and lyrical expression” in this classic piece of Americana.

The Grove Shakespeare Festival revival of Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play at the Gem Theatre in Garden Grove strives for that purity and lyricism but finally lacks the spellbinding rhythm that could have transformed what is a good production into a deeply affecting one.

Despite a marvelously well-turned performance by Douglas Rowe as the Stage Manager of the mythical New Hampshire village of Grovers Corners at the turn of the century, the production is diminished by several directorial choices in the staging and the casting.

It is a misconception to think that because “Our Town” requires no scenery it also requires no setting. The grandeur of the piece needs to be underscored by the bare stage, not erased by it. This can be achieved with naturalistic lighting, which Wilder called for to evoke the passage of time from dawn to dusk, but which is entirely absent here.

Also, certain scenes could have used an eye for pictorial detail.

While the play demands a mix of acting styles it shouldn’t fuss over them.

Ellen Dunning’s breathless characterization of Emily never achieves any credibility, either as an adolescent falling in love or as a mother who has died in childbirth.

Charles Cook does well just the same as George, the young man who gives up baseball for marriage and settles down with Emily.

Other performers who bring their roles to life are Jenifer Parker, who is particularly vivid as Mrs. Webb; Kevin Symons as Mr. Webb; Gary Bell as Dr. Gibbs; Brenda Parks as Mrs. Soames; Donald Sage Mackay as Simon Stimson, and Marnie Crossen as Mrs. Gibbs.

“Our Town,” Gem Theatre, 12852 Main St., Garden Grove, (714) 636-7213. Performances Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $16 to $20. Through Nov. 2. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes. ‘Our Town’

Douglas Rowe: Stage Manager

Marnie Crossen: Mrs. Gibbs

Gary Bell: Dr. Gibbs

Jenifer Parker: Mrs. Webb

Kevin Symons: Mr. Webb

Charles Cook: George

Ellen Dunning: Emily

Steve Atinsky: Howie Newsome

Robert Chase: Constable Warren

Don Mackay: Simon Stimson

Brenda Parks: Mrs. Soames

A Grove Shakespeare Festival production of Thornton Wilder’s play. Directed by Carl Reggiardo. Set design by Michael L.D. Hruska. Costumes by Laura E. Deremer. Lighting design by David C. Palmer. Music and sound design by Chuck Estes. Makeup and hair by Karen Juneman.