Jen Zee and Andrew Clemons in a scene from Fifth of July.
Photo: Bob Tucker/Focalpoint Studio
Review by Steve Desroches
The current production of Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July at the Provincetown Theater will break your heart, bust your gut, and have your head spinning. Set in July of 1977 on a farm in Lebanon, Missouri, this play about America’s hangover after the tumultuous 1960s and the Vietnam War is perhaps Wilson’s best known work. It is written using theatrical naturalism, a device developed in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that seeks a certain authenticity in the dialogue and pacing with the audience observing the action in real time. As such, actors often speak at the same time, as would happen in real life, the story is not linear, and action is presented rather than explained. That’s important to know, as it’s easier to enjoy this performance by just settling in rather than trying to get ahead of the narrative. You’ll be in good hands as the cast deftly presents a show that is a veritable theatrical roller derby.
Presented in two one-hour acts with no scene breaks, Fifth of July centers on Ken Talley, a Vietnam veteran who lost both legs in the war who lives on his family farm with his partner Jed as he tries to put his life back in order. Family and friends come to visit on the Fourth of July as daffy Aunt Sally prepares to spread the ashes of her deceased husband, with Ken’s sister June, her bratty teenage daughter Shirley, hard-partying friends John and Gwen with their guitar-strumming stoner friend Weston in tow. The chaos that can be caused by those we love the most has the day after looking quite different than it did on Independence Day.
James Cerne as Ken gives an absolutely beautiful performance wry with vulnerability it brings a lump to the throat. He really is an emotional force. Sara Fitzpatrick as aspiring rock star Gwen provides torrents of comic relief in one of the best performances of her lengthy career on the Cape. And Nathaniel Hall Taylor as John nails the vibe and slither of his cocaine-fueled character. Madeleine Barr as June and Raea Ivey as Shirley deliver a perfect mother/daughter in a conflicted, yet loving tango and Jen Zee as Sally dives into the silliness as well as gravitas of the complexities of the senior member of the clan. Ian Futterer, in his theater debut, provides a touching, stoic protectiveness as Jed looking out for Ken, patiently allowing him to process his trauma, while also delivering sardonic quips for moments of unanticipated humor. And Andrew Clemons as Weston brings a subtle glee to the kind of guy who shows up to a family reunion, but nobody is quite sure why he is there. Under the direction of David Drake, Fifth of July takes an ambitious swing and succeeds.
Fifth of July runs at the Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford St., Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. now through May 31. Tickets ($65) are available at the box office and online at provincetowntheater.org. For more information call 508.487.7487.
