Since Julia Child gained popularity on public television as the French Chef, elaborate dishes have appeared on family tables as well as high-priced restaurants. In recent years, comfort foods have regained favor. The University Playhouse’s performance of A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” Friday, Dec. 7, was a homemade dish of macaroni and cheese brought to a church supper: simple, familiar, well prepared and palatable. “Love Letters” is a staple of the modern theatrical repertory. Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1989, Gurney’s show has been regularly produced in professional, community, and university venues. It does not present serious technical challenges, royalties are reasonable, and the script provides actors a vehicle to show off their acting talents. For the Playhouse production, faculty member and department head John Hanners played “Andrew Makepeace Ladd III,” and local professional actor Emily Hunt portrayed “Melissa Gardner.” Their task was to involve the audience in over fifty years of the lives of two upper middle class Easterners by the reading the collection of letters they had written to each other throughout their lives.Outsiders, upon meeting couples, tend to wonder what initially attracted those people. Hanners and Hunt draw the viewer into an understanding of the attachment between the two characters that began at the same point in life yet frequently took separate paths at life’s crossroads.
The epistolary format explores the connection between the two by exploring the times when the paths intersect and diverge. The format also requires the actors to exhibit keen acting skills complemented by visible listening without drawing focus unnecessarily. Hunt and Hanners display these attributes throughout the performance.
Hanners bears a resemblance to actor Bob Newhart physically and in delivery. Cerebral, slightly pompous, and never over-the-top, Andy Ladd is a good boy that played by the rules. Even on those occasions when he misbehaves, it seems that the secret rule book encouraged these antics at that time. Hanners’ character is soft-spoken yet passionate. Andy becomes a character that, although not devoid of fun, is devoted to words, letters, the law, and propriety.
Hunt provides most of the laughter during the evening, using her significant comic skills to expose the humor that was inherent in the script. She is particularly adept at pricking Andy’s pompous bubble with affectionate good nature.
Hunt presents Melissa as a person who is more drawn to the moment, who makes decisions based on experimentation rather than expectations, and as a victim of circumstances that work against her more often than not. She plays heavily on the cynical humor and presents it boldly.
The contrast between the two characters provides a solid base for the audience’s enjoyment. The show moves quickly and each actor provides moments that increase appreciation of his or her skills.
Hunt’s skills are nicely displayed by her virtually throwing away the information that her step father had “bothered her in bed.” This quietly provides a basis for her future behavior. Hunt also provides a very nice moment by changing her water into gin simply by looking at the glass she is holding.
Andy’s explanation of why he needs to write letters was spot on. Hanners succeeds in showing growth throughout the play, yet Andy is always clearly an amalgam of the principles and experiences he collects during his lifetime.
The character’s teenage/college years provide awkward moments for the actors and the audience. Oddly, actors of a certain age can present both childlike qualities and maturity successfully. However talking about sexual exploits can be tricky.
Hunt tends to place heavy emphasis on certain scripted language. Hanners, particularly when explaining his character’s temporary impotence, adds several decades of life experience by the arched eye browed acceptance of the problem. While not offensive, exactly, that segment of the play put me in mind of Bob and Elizabeth Dole discussing the joys of Viagra.
The set, designed by faculty member M. Knight, Jr., was very similar to the traditional staging of the play and worked nicely. Perhaps a bit more space between the tables would have better utilized the space of the Performing Arts Center’s main stage as well as providing a metaphor for the character’s separation.
Undergraduate theatre major Alex Embry’s light design was attractive and clearly functional. Faculty member Gary Burton is credited with costume design; while attractive, Melissa’s sequined gown picked up glints of light which proved to be slightly distracting. Gurney’s script is written to provide a vehicle for two actors, and the designs at the Playhouse emphasized that point, as well it should.
No director was listed for the production. The majority of the play did not need one. Although movement was not necessary, I would have liked to have seen Melissa stand behind Andy and read the last letter over his shoulder, which would have helped emphasize the closeness of the relationship.
It was at that point that the script broke from its established format, so a change in the static blocking could have been effective. The timing was generally good, but as is often the case in two person plays, it is difficult to maintain momentum.
Some timing could have been tightened while at other times pauses could have been slightly expanded to allow the audience a moment to absorb the information dispensed in the letters as well as to signify the passage of time.
Simple things, ably presented and carefully prepared, are simply special. “Love Letters” as presented by the University Playhouse falls into that category of good things.