In these days of single parents, latchkey kids and mothers in the workplace, a young journalist relives typical, middle class American summer vacations with his typical, middle class American family when he was growing up in typical, middle class American Iowa.
Not much is typical or middle class or topical about this beautifully crafted family sitcom by Tim Clue and Spike Manton; “sit” in the sense of big brother and little sister raising Cain in the back seat while Pop is going crazy with Mom telling him how to drive.
Nonetheless, with “Leaving Iowa,” Taproot is tapping the root of the American Dream as envisioned not long ago: two kids being kids, dad being a grown-up kid with a secure job and mom being the adult in the home.
Karen Lund’s directing keeps the bonding power of a healthy family life front and center. Slapstick and one-liners connect. The comedy stands out, spot-on timed and tinged with just enough corn to flavor without making things corny.
Melville’s Ishmael could have inspired Ian Lindsay’s Don Browning, the narrating journalist reliving his childhood. Both start out wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and grow as they go. Lindsay gets more real the more he tells it like it was.
Kim Morris’ Mom of all moms is a laugh a minute. Imagine the patience of Buddha in the midst of utter chaos. How is that for acting?
Helen Harvester is heavenly hilarious as off-in-all-directions, all-the-time Sis.
Robert Gallaher manages enduring and endearing as Dad, the perfect Dagwood Bumstead: dopey, not quite with it and heart always in the right place.
And Ryan Childers and Jenny Cross highlight in a mix of roles as slow-talking, slow-moving stereotypes with basic Midwestern values. Childers and Cross could make a mint taking their show on the road. They are terrific.
This is one feel-good comedy.
I left sighing for the good old days, wondering what possessed us to pursue self-actualization over commitment to family and asking myself: What are we “Leaving Iowa” for?
Reactions? Comments? Email Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net or entertainment@weeklyherald.com.
‘Leaving Iowa’
WHEN: Through June 16
WHERE: Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St., Seattle
TICKETS: $29-$37, call 206-781-9707 or go to www.taprootthreatre.org
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