Masquers play takes you over river, through woods

A review by Aimee Hornberger

Herald staff writer

Production brings to light cultural struggles centered around food, family ties

SOAP LAKE — Mama mia!

Hold the small talk and pass the food!

At least that's what one would say if they were a member of Nick's Italian family in the Masquers Theater production of Jo DiPietro's "Over the River and Through the Woods," which opened Friday.

The play does a good job of combining the comical with more serious matters of life through food and the family's ability to make fun of each other, and at times taunt the main character, Nick, played by Eric Van Woert.

Nick is a single Italian who for the last 29 years has come to his grandparents' house in New Jersey every Sunday for dinner. All seems to be well until one Sunday Nick announces he has been offered a job promotion in Seattle and is considering moving.

Being Italian, loyalty to family comes first and it seems almost naive of Van Woert's character to think he can just come over for his weekly dinner, announce he has been offered a promotion, win their acceptance and leave.

In a desperate attempt to persuade Nick to stay, the family comes up with a plan.

For those who have not yet seen the play, I won't give away what their plan entails.

Nick's grandparents just don't seem to understand why he can't find everything he needs within the boundaries of his family and their life on the East Coast.

The constant struggle Nick is confronted with between being the grandson of Italian immigrants and an American adult is clearly portrayed.

It is a clashing of cultures through which Nick's desire to be independent and maintain an ambitious career conflict with his grandparents values of taking care of family and settling down.

The audience is constantly reminded of these strong family ties as the characters repeat the phrase "tengo famiglia" several times.

Translated, the phrase means "I hold a family" and is symbolic of one's duty to provide and take care of a family.

Yet raising a family is not what Nick is focused on doing at this point in his life.

In fact, I might even go as far as to say Nick looks somewhat down on his family and can't stand their constant jabbering and obsession with food.

"That's their secret, they suck you in with the food," Nick says of his family.

After Nick's grandparents institute their secret plan, he seems to have a change of heart about his family by the end of the play.

He begins to appreciate them and the audience sees him as more than perhaps a selfish young man, but a man with purpose who has come to realize how important his family is to him.

Overall, I thought the play held the audience's attention with its color of comedy, but could have done without the use of swearing in some of the actor's lines.

Following performances are at 8 p.m. March 3,4,10,11,17 and 18 with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. on March 12 and 19. All tickets are $10. Call (509) 246-2611 to make reservations.