Brutal and funny “Tobacco Road"

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33515, 22 April 1974, Page 12

Brutal and funny “Tobacco Road"

“Tobacco Road,” by JackKirkland. Produced by Taura Henderson for Riccarton Players. Nelson Street theatre, April 20-27. Running time: 8.00 to 10.20. This famous adaptation of Erskine Caldwell’s novel was one of the greatest Broadway successes during the Depression, and its brutally naturalistic style still carries many reminders of how hard it must have hit audiences at the time.

However, as its run of 3,182 performances progressed, its social emphasis was reduced and the comic sensationalism was played up — because the slump that hits the Georgia family is moral and intellectual as well as economic, the play has much more than just period impact. For this family, one feels, turnips will always matter more than incest.

A play of such complexity is an ambitious undertaking for an amateur group, and it is greatly to Taura Henderson’s credit that her production does justice to each of the play’s dimensions. Much of it (especially the first act) is very funny, several episodes seem grimly real, and the final part has an element of stark horror. If some actors inevitably manage the Southern accents better than others, at least the inflections are right. Virtually all the lines are properly shaped, and even Saturday night’s small audience [was drawn into a very good response.

The strength of the cast

[is mainly in the Lester family. 'Brian Cooper's speech is (excellent, and he has some impressive visual moments, too; as his wife, Sylvia Cooper is a haggard, desperate creature who gives the play its hardest edge. Marie Henderson gives poignancy and vitality as their deformed daughter, and Kent Caddick draws a lot of laughs as their son, pushed into a rather offbeat relationship with the local preacher (Helen White) and her car. Some of the rest of the cast obviously lack experience, but are generally sensible enough to know their supporting function. The set [is good, and with some tightening the production will be one of the group’s most memorable efforts.

—H. D. McN