“Home, I’m Darling”: Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used to Be…

by: Stephen Kreal

On Friday, July 10^th, I attended the opening night performance of “Home, I’m Darling” at Langhorne Players Theater at The Old Mill. The Spring Garden Mill is located at 1440 Newtown-Richboro Road in Newtown, PA 18940. It is a very quaint theater space. This production was produced by D. Ryan Lafferty and co-produced by Ken Marblestone.

“Home, I’m Darling” was written by British playwright/screenwriter Laura Wade. It has received numerous awards since its initial publication in 2018, including the U.K. Theatre Award for Best New Play, and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, among others. “Home, I’m Darling” premiered in Wales at Theater Clwyd Wales on July 3, 2018, and opened at the Dorfman Theatre in London on July 31, 2018, directed by Tamara Harvey.

The play tackles multiple themes, including gender roles, feminism, nostalgia and the idealization of the past, identity, and marriage/partnership. The balance between comedy and drama is delightful. This production provided many hearty laugh lines, interspersed with poignant moments and serious issues.

The action of the play takes place in 2018, and is about a late 30’s childless married couple, Judy and Johnny played by Kira Stein and Parker Madison, respectively, who have chosen to live their lives in the style of a traditional couple from the 1950’s (or at least their interpretation of that idyll).  Francine Odri  was the intimacy coordinator for this production and did a great job contrasting their relationship. Johnny is the traditional bread-winner, and Judy is the stay at home wife, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the household. This lifestyle includes dressing in period clothing and costuming credit for this is given to Melissa Rittmann & Rittzy Productions LLC. Their reasons for this lifestyle are a combination of factors, which may be slightly different for each partner.

The set was a unit set, with half of the stage being a kitchen, and the other half being a living room. The rooms were decorated and furnished as if it were the 1950’s. It was very clear that great care was taken to design, build, and dress the set. The action of the play takes place in the year 2018, The main characters, Johnny and Judy have taken great care to recreate the pastiche of a bygone era.

One small anachronism is that the two telephones were push-button phones, which were not in use until 1963 and did not become popular for years after. The couple has taken great attention to detail, and I feel that they would have procured rotary phones to complete their living space, a minor detail to be sure. Scenic design is credited to Robert A. Norman, a longtime fixture at this theater, and John Tancini.

Lighting design is credited to David Sullivan. The lighting scheme was simple, but effective, with blackouts for (mostly) quick scene changes. Sound & Light Technician is credited to Ellen Cicchitti, in her first production at LPT. During scene changes, period appropriate background music would play. One exception was “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, published in 1973, but directly related to the action of the play.

Terri Bentley is credited as stage and props manager. The play moved very smoothly, with quick scene changes. I noticed in the program that Bentley was also stage manager for “After the Blast” (also at LPT), one of the finest theater productions I have ever seen at the community theater level. Assisting Bentley was Cassidy M. Letham, credited as assistant stage manager and technician, working in their first production at Langhorne Players Theater. 

Stein shines as Judy, showing a wide range of emotions. This play has a wonderful balance of comedy and dramatic moments, and Stein expertly portrays a wide range of emotions, coupled with remarkable facial expressions, as well as some impressive dance movements. Stein also displayed full command of a staggering number of lines, virtually never leaving the stage. Stein’s performance was a highlight of the evening, and was the bedrock upon which the story was built.

Parker Madison comes to this production with vast experience in TV and film.  

Madison portrays the husband, Jerry, who plays along with the unique lifestyle, although his motivations may be a bit different from those of his wife. He comes across as quite happy with the arrangement. He has a white collar job and definitely came across to me as being less into the “fantasy” than Judy. Parker’s performance was outstanding as the situation takes a dark turn and their dire situation becomes evident. Parker’s reactions are realistic and grounded.

They are friends with another married couple, Fran and Marcus, played by Sara Stepnowski and Danny Gleason, respectively. These characters represent the modern model of a married couple, where both work and share domestic responsibilities. Fran is a professional career woman who does not really understand Judy’s choices, suggesting that Judy is squandering the freedoms and career opportunities that earlier generations fought for. Stepnowski was an effective, grounded counterbalance to Judy’s nostalgic view of her lifestyle choices. She tries to be supportive in spite of her skeptical view.

Her husband, Marcus, seems a bit more amused and curious than anything else. He seems less invested in the situation than Fran is, as he is dealing with his own situation. Gleason’s performance was high-energy, and more comedic than dramatic. His character recognizes that the relationship is impractical, given the obvious strain on Judy and Johnny.

As we get into Act 1, we are introduced to Sylvia, Judy’s mother, played by Denise Dole Puchalski. The character brings in a fascinating perspective to the story. As Judy’s mom, she was living in the 1950’s, and so has a living, vivid memory of what it was really like. Dole Puchalski is very polished and believable in her role. This character provides context and texture to the story. She cares deeply for her daughter, but points out that Judy did not experience it. Her monologue in Act 2 is very powerful and well-acted!. Sylvia’s personal experiences provide her with context that Judy simply does not have. It is this monologue that really shatters the mythos of “the good old days” and the costuming choices for this character provided nuance. 

We also meet the character of Alex, Johnny’s boss, played by Megan Gramlich. Alex is a hard-working, thoroughly modern, strong woman. In an attempt to curry favor for an upcoming promotion, Judy and Johnny have her over for drinks. The interaction is somewhat awkward, but pleasant. This scene was particularly well-acted. This character shows that the present cannot be fully shut out.

It is in Act 2 that Gramlich really shines! There is a scene with Judy that is very awkward and uncomfortable. Judy’s insecurities are laid bare, and Alex stands firm while the two have their conversation. I don’t like to give away too much in my reviews, but this is a pivotal and powerful scene, and both actresses really are phenomenal!

One minor critique is the use of accents. The setting of the play is “A semi-attached suburban home in Welwyn Garden City, 20m miles north of London”. Some of the cast did not use a British accent, some were a bit inconsistent, and, while it is eminently plausible that a Scottish person could be living outside of London, I found the disparate accents to be a bit confusing. In no way did this minor confusion take away from the overall high quality of this production.

In the end, the play lays bare the fact that it is perhaps easier to engage in escapism than to embrace the challenges and complexities of the modern world. Perhaps Judy and Johnny were drawn to nostalgia because the modern world can feel uncertain, demanding, and fragmented. This play has an excellent script, a talented cast, with clear and coherent direction from director Peter Fenton. It tackles multiple, complex themes in a manner that is both funny and engaging. “Home, I’m Darling” runs until June 26^th. I highly recommend this play. Tickets can be purchased here:  https://www.langhorneplayers.org/buy-tickets