REVIEW: New Village makes dated 'Golden Boy' come alive onstage

By PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer | Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:27 AM PDT ∞

On the page, the challenges of mounting Clifford Odets' 1937 drama "Golden Boy" would seem almost insurmountable for a small theater company --- huge casting demands, thick, ethnic accents, dated dialogue where women characters practically beg to be smacked around, and a running time of nearly three hours.

Yet somehow, scrappy little New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad has made this play work, thanks to a smartly designed two-story set that keeps the action always in motion, and Joshua Everett Johnson's thoughtful direction that holds the play firmly in period. "Golden Boy" isn't one of those plays that can be updated or made to speak for today's life and times, but it's a jewel from the past, and Johnson respects its characters, rhythms and words in a way that makes its story compelling to modern audiences.

"Golden Boy" is the story of Joe Bonaparte, the brash, 21-year-old New York-bred son of Italian immigrants. Although trained as a classical musician, the 133-pound Joe has traded in his violin for a pair of boxing gloves and quickly rises to the top of the 1930s New York boxing world. Coaxed along steadily by his greedy manager Tom Moody and canny promoter Roxy Gottlieb, Joe at first nurses his delicate fingers, then whoops for joy when he breaks his bow hand in a bout and can throw himself entirely into the brutal sport. But Joe's taste for fast cars, fast women (he falls for Moody's manipulative mistress Lorna) and fine things (he happily accepts expensive gifts proffered by the gangster, Eddie) will bring his story to a tragic close.

Odets is known for his rhythmic, almost poetic, metaphor-filled dialogue, and "Golden Boy" is packed with meaty period speech that could come off sounding ham-fisted in the wrong hands. But dialect coach Dana Case ably guides the large cast to re-create not only the accents of the period (from New Yawk-ese to Old World Italian) but the clipped, rat-a-tat meter of the words. Some of the lines will make you wince with their casual chauvinism and racism, but they're true to the time.

New Village is known for its ensemble work, and "Golden Boy's" 15-member cast is a doozy, but Johnson has cast the play well and evenly (the script requires 19 actors but a few castmates double up in small roles).

Michael Zlotnik leads the cast as Joe. Physically he's right for the role of a lightweight boxer, and he's got the energy, confidence and gentleness you'd expect for the part. Still in question is the anger and intensity needed for this wound-up character.

Amanda Sitton is sexy and sassy as Lorna, the self-described "tramp from Newark" who longs for love and respectability. And Manny Fernandes is perfect in the role of Joe's brassy, loudmouth manager Moody.

Also a standout is Eric Poppick as Joe's father, Mr. Bonaparte. The role requires an exaggerated Italian accent (of the "atsa-spicy meatball" variety) and Poppick manages to make it real. Also winning is the director Johnson himself, who plays the sleazy gangster Eddie Fuselli with an comic, unpredictable vibe (he reminded me of one of the sharply dressed cartoon rats in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?").

Jeff Anthony Miller is calm and resolute as Joe's trainer, Tokio; Pat Moran is warm and supportive as the Bonapartes' neighbor, Mr. Carp; Greg Wittman offers comic relief as Joe's lazy brother-in-law, Siggie; Amanda Dane does well with the thankless role of Joe's sex-starved and none-too-bright sister, Anna; and Eddie Yaroch is cynical as Roxy the promoter.

Completing the cast are John DeCarlo as Joe's labor-organizer brother Frank; Ryan Hunter Lee as the reporter, Drake; Ryan Lahetta as the boxer, Pepper; and Sassan Saffari and Carlos Darze, who shadow box in a miniature boxing ring above the stage between scenes.

Kristianne Kurner and Tim Wallace designed the ingenious set, which allows the action to move quickly from office to locker room to living room and boxing ring as swiftly as a lighting change. Nate Parde created the lighting, Mary Larson designed the period costumes, Bonnie Durben designed props, Adam Lansky created sound and Becky Pierce is stage manager.

The play runs two hours, 40 minutes, with two intermissions.

"Golden Boy"

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; through July 31

Where: New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 B State St., Carlsbad

Tickets: $26, general; $22, seniors, students and military

Phone: (760) 433-3245

Web: www.newvillagearts.org

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