Keeping it All in the Family

That ’70s Sitcom Feeling

This dramedy is an homage to the sitcoms of the 1970s, mainly those produced by Norman Lear. They explored themes of family love and dysfunction, social issues, racism, sexism, and political strife in a genre that previously avoided controversy.

The Folks At Home, written by R. Eric Thomas, takes place in the present in a row house in South Baltimore. Roger and Brandon, a 30-something interracial couple, are in financial difficulty, and are conflicted about selling their house. Brandon’s mother is having difficulty with a bullying landlord, and Roger’s parents are in financial difficulty, too. What will they do? Living with their sons is the temporary answer for all the parents. What could possibly go wrong?

Homage to a Legend

P.K. Fortson has a quiet presence as the unemployed Roger, who dreams of a better future. He wants a career, where he wears a suit and manages staff. He loves their home and does not want to sell it. His husband Brandon is just the opposite. Played by Ryan Adam Norton, he is nervy, anxious, and very practical. It is all about the money for him. As they spar about their future, the parents begin arriving.

Josie DiVincenzo is an absolute hoot as Brandon’s clueless mother, Maureen. A non-stop smoker and talker, her dream is to be a greeter at Walmart, where she goes daily. She trips over herself with unconscious racial slurs that send Roger’s parents into the stratosphere, and wonders what all the fuss is about. She is as nervy as her son. Shanntina Moore is a strong and loving woman as Pamela, Roger’s mother. She is rock solid as she confronts Maureen, or talks with her troubled son. Roderick Garr is Roger’s father, Vernon. He blusters and yells, and has one of the funniest scenes in the play that has to do with a poem by Langston Huges, which he handles with great aplomb.

In a bit of comic relief, an over-the-top Julianna Tracey plays Alice, a white maid. While the part is amusing, a “less is more” approach would have been more effective. She has another turn in the second act as Brandon’s sister. 

The play has some very fine moments. Maureen and Pamela’s rapprochement in the second act is a realistic and heartfelt conversation between two women who have struggled their whole lives. The aforementioned Langston Hughes scene between Vernon and Roger is another. Throughout the play, there are moments of kindness and sweetness between the conflicts that give the feel of a family whose love for each other is never lost, only temporarily misplaced.

The Set Design by Tania Barrenchea is a faithful representation of the old row houses in Baltimore. It feels crowded, while also retaining the charm of the 19th Century architecture. Loved those bright green cabinets.

Family Finds a Way

While the play would benefit from some tightening up, both with direction and writing, it is a very enjoyable evening of theater. The acting is excellent for the most part, and it offers a window into the lives of people from different backgrounds struggling financially and personally, who have a willingness to find their common ground and be open to the love that sustains them.