Upper-class warfare in GWC’s ‘holiday’

Tom Titus

Playwright Philip Barry, who’ll go down in history as the author

of “The Philadelphia Story,” stuck it to the working class by siding

with the idle rich in that play. But he redeemed himself by striking

a blow for those outside the select circle in his lesser-known comedy

“Holiday.”

This sophisticated trifle, mildly updated by a decade to the

1950s, currently graces the stage of Golden West College in a

handsomely mounted, splendidly dressed production directed by Tom

Amen. Barry’s message in “Holiday” could be summed up by the phrase

“Life is short, eat dessert first.” His principal character, Johnny

Case, engaged to the lovely but coolly distant daughter of a

prominent industrialist, has his rather unique ideas about a career

path -- a few years of retirement before settling down to business.

Naturally, this credo doesn’t sit well with his fiancee, Julia,

and it positively repels her father, a captain of industry accustomed

to ruling all he surveys with nary a dissenting voice. But Johnny has

a few people in his corner -- Julia’s wastrel brother and her

unconventional sister, who has a thing for Johnny herself.

When these opposing forces collide in a battle of wits -- and

wills -- the Golden West production makes them fun to watch.Mark

Bedard plays the unconventional Johnny with the emotional and

intellectual ammunition to stand up to the world of the powerful

Setons. True, it takes him forever to discover where his real passion

lies, but this is just the playwright toying with his audience.

The equally offbeat Linda, sister of Johnny’s fiancee, receives a

beautifully etched portrayal from Tara Redepenning, whose character

is continually stifled and shuffled into the background by her

father. She becomes the emotional driving force of the play and takes

that wheel with a vengeance.

Christa Mathis properly maintains a haughty aloofness as Julia,

professing her love without ruffling her feathers or displaying any

real emotion. Josh Matheson neatly plays the girls’ heavy-drinking,

sardonic brother, lacking the courage to move on, but cheering from

the sidelines for a sibling who does.

Among the strongest performances is Nick Cook’s proud patriarch,

accustomed to ruling his family in the same fashion he controls his

business empire. Cook applies just the right touch of insistence on

paternal control, taking care not to cross the line into caricature.

David Snyder and Kris Kelley lighten the proceedings as a witty

young couple, close friends of the major characters, while Sean

Brosnan and Rebecca Fetscher play a pair of snooty rich relatives.

J.L.T. Williams and Kimberly Muller complete the cast as the house

servants.

Stephen Silva’s two interior settings are tastefully expansive,

and Susan Thomas Babb’s costumes are rich in formality and elegance.

The stage is well illuminated by Sigrid Wolf’s lighting.

“Holiday” may not be the crowning achievement that “Philadelphia

Story” proved to be some six decades ago, but it has its moments,

applying a nice spin on the line from the latter play about the

“privileged class enjoying its privileges.”

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.