‘Ramona’ Has Real-Life Humor but Lacks Magic Touch

One of the most outstanding children’s shows anywhere was the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis’ 1995 production of “Animal Fables From Aesop.” When this acclaimed company does a show right, it makes magic. Its new national touring production of “Ramona Quimby,” though competent and enjoyable enough, is missing that magic. At least it was at an early matinee at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse on Saturday.

The show goes on to play today at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and Thursday and Friday at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center.

Adapted by Len Jenkin from Beverly Cleary’s best-selling children’s books about the youngest member of the Quimby family, the play covers little Ramona’s memorable year in the third grade.

The mischievous 8-year-old (Rosie Harris) gets in trouble at school, sister Beezus (Katie Harris) is always mad at her, their beloved Aunt Bea (Tamsen Brock) is engaged to horrible, teasing Hobart (Pepper Stebbins), Dad (Jim Harris) loses his job and starts smoking again and Mom (Sara Harris) has to go to work.

It may be that the child actors--real sisters acting with their mom, dad and brother--have said their lines so often that some of the words have lost meaning for them. Both Rosie and Katie, although physically adept and word-perfect, rush dialogue at the expense of intended moments of irony, audience self-recognition or just plain fun.

Still, Jenkin’s adaptation, with its true-to-life humor and edge, gives a family audience a lot to identify with, and Saturday’s audience clearly did just that. The smell of smoke didn’t go over with some, but adults plainly sympathized with Dad’s efforts to quit his tobacco habit. An audible murmur when Ramona asked her unemployed Dad how he could afford cigarettes on their tight budget showed the audience was in her corner too.

* “Ramona Quimby,” Irvine Barclay Theatre, Cheng Hall, 4242 Campus Drive, today, 7 p.m., $10-$15, (310) 854-4646, (714) 740-2000; Torrance Cultural Arts Center, James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Thursday and Friday, 7:30 p.m., $10-$12, (310) 781-7171. Ages 6 and up. Running time: 90 minutes; no intermission.