Turning a novel into a drama for the stage is potentially risky, particularly when the original has no one strong central character but depends on an intricate relationship between members of a family, much of which can only be hinted at in a stage production. Peter Gaiten's reduction of Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Michael Cunningham's novel "Flesh and Blood" is only sporadically successful, and owes that scant achievement, as it did in the NY production several seasons ago, to a hardworking cast, only with no star power. Try as they might, David J. Miller and his cast of eleven actors rarely get beyond the soap opera nature of this family saga, filled with cliche situations, quirky touches, and contemporary hot button issues. The adaptor's first error was to stick largely to the serial nature of the novel, which traces three generations of an American family which sprung from a poor Greek immigrant and a working class girl from New Jersey. Moreover, while the scene does expand to include New York, its suburbs, and Boston, the show fails to capture any specific locale. Miller's unit set, as usual well-done and allowing for a fluid presentation given the limitation of the BCA Black Box, is more decorative than necessary. Rather than becoming a symbol of the father's aspirations, is more of an interesting obstacle course.
The father of the Stassos family, Constantine, who emigrated as a young man, is played by veteran local actor, Robert D. Murphy. He develops a believable character from rather thin soil, but somehow never really occupies the center of the play. Instead Maureen Aducci, as Mary, the mother of the three children whose overlapping fates provide much of the action, has more chance to develop a complex role. She does so with grace, as she's done in past seasons at the Theatre Coop. The showiest part is Cassandra, taken beyond stereotype by Dan Minkle, who finds in this drag-queen/shoplifter with a heart of gold perhaps the production's most intriguing, if still sparse, character. Seen at the Publick in past seasons in roles such as Ajax and often, sword in hand at Ren Faires, Minkle's burly presence combined with bitchy dialogue is a bright spot in the production,creditable in its sheer audacity.
The children are Angela Rose playing Susan, the oldest, with complex sexual issues concerning her father; Mason Sand as Will, aka Billy, who comes out while studying at Harvard; and Melissa Baroni's schizophrenic Zoe, who never grows up. This waif runs off to the Village where she eventually contracts AIDS after fathering an illegitimate black child. Each sibling has enough plot complications and psychological baggage to have a play of their own. This excess results in a long show with very little resolution. While "the sins of the father(s)" is a venerable device, in this case it becomes an embarrassment of cliches. Moreover, two boys in the third generation add to the muddle.
There's Zoe's son Jamal, played by Claude Del. She's been taken off the streets, more or less, by Cassandra who becomes the boy's godmother. After Zoe dies from her affliction, and eventually Cassandra, who's become blind, as well, Jamal is taken in by Mary, who's become friends with Cassandra, much to her own surprise. Ben, played by Gregory Maraio, is also probably illegitimate, the result of a brief fling Susan has with her gardener because she's been unable to conceive with her husband Todd, played by Andrew Dusfrense. Maraio also plays the gardener plus a few other roles, as do others in the ensemble. Adjunct to the family are Eliza Lay, as Constantine's second wife--and former secretary--Magda, and Achilles Vatrikas as Harry, who becomes Will's life partner. These secondary character's who become central to the action however have to be created with little help from the script. Defining moments are few and far between. Yet the cast finds moments to shine as they play these roles--and others--from 1935 to 2035. However, the mixture of partial realism, pop-culture sensationalism, and poetic symbolism--as witness the character names--never gels.
The set, which somehow represents Constantine's dream garden is interesting but somewhat overdone. There are trees at either end, one end climbable, the other surrounding as large bed. Panels with small lights representing stars suggest night scenes. A raised gazebo close to the climbable trees works in various scenes to confine the action. The stage floor is covered with thick fake grass and the furniture which must serve for every occasion in wooden outdoor stuff stained neutral grey. The idea might work better in a much bigger space. Lissa Giossi provides generaly effective costumes, which have to be layered at times for quick change. In his sixth show for Zeitgeist, Jeff Adelberg provides very complex lighting in tight quarters. The company has made its usual brave effort at producing a show not likely to get done otherwise hereabouts. Various members of the audience may take home a range of viewpoints from this disjointed family saga, which barely touches on the political and social changes during the periods it covers.
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