REVIEW: “Survival of the Unfit” at Great Barrington Public Theater

by Emily Edelman

The North American premiere of Oren Safdie’s “Survival of the Unfit” from Great Barrington Public Theater showcases the story of 39-year-old Samuel, who brings new girlfriend Mallory home to have dinner with his parents. What seems in the beginning to be an  ordinary dinner with passive aggressive parents, their seemingly directionless son and his out-of-place girlfriend soon becomes much more intricate thanks to the cast’s spot-on comedic timing, tight production values, and brilliant guidance from director Matthew Penn.

Penn uses body language to great effect in allowing the audience to see exactly how the characters feel about each other despite the words they may say. The scene in which Samuel and his mother, Shirley, are setting the dinner table together gives a lot of insight into their complicated relationship.

Though all cast members are terrific, Carolyn Hennesy stands out — her Shirley has enough scathing wit and sarcasm to shock and disgust peppered with intimately emotional moments that point to the character’s humanity and life struggles.

Juliana von Haubrich’s realistic living room set is complete with a lived-in feel and personal touches representing the family members who inhabit it. Sound was occasionally muffled in the preview performance that this reviewer attended.

The 75-or-so minutes of running time go by very quickly thanks fo a plot strewn with constant twists, turns and reveals, culminating in an experience as uncomfortable as it is rewarding.

Great Barrington Public Theater’s production of “Survival of the Unfit” runs through Sunday, July 21, at the Daniel Arts Center of Bard College at Simon’s Rock, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, Mass.

Playwright: Oren Safdie. Director: Matthew Penn. Castt: Daniel Gerroll, Carolyn Hennesy, Sarah Keyes, Vincent Randazzo. Scenic design: Juliana von Haubrich. Lighting design: Lara Dubin. Sound design: Jacob Fisch. Costume design: George Veale. Stage manager: Renee Lutz. Assistant stage manager: Nathaniel Bokaer.