Theater review: Good Company’s ‘On Golden Pond’ is mostly gilded nostalgia
By Heather Parish
Community theater productions often hold a charm of their own, blending earnest efforts with timeless stories. “On Golden Pond,” presented by Good Company Players, certainly embodies this spirit. Originally produced in 1979 as a contemporary piece about the tensions between a Baby Boomer and her Lost Generation parents, the play is a period piece when you scratch below the surface today. Filled with nostalgia, this production doesn”t quite live up to its golden glow.
Norman Thayer, Jr. (Patrick Tromborg) is approaching his 80th birthday and visiting the family cabin with his wife, Ethel (Jayne Day). Norman’s preoccupation with the classifieds (and death) masks his growing anxiety about his memory lapses. A surprise visit from their daughter Chelsea (Ananda Shaffer) marks an unexpected turning point for Norman in his golden years.
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At the front of the cast, Tromborg’s performance stands out, anchoring the production with his seasoned delivery. Tromborg’s grasp of Norman’s cantankerous yet vulnerable nature carries the show, injecting layers of feeling into each scene.
However, the rest of the cast struggles to match Tromborg’s level of emotional resonance. Despite their earnest efforts, the ensemble does not fully capture the play’s emotional core, leaving many moments feeling hollow or disconnected. Given that most of the performers are novice or relatively inexperienced actors, I wished for more coaching on the scene work and subtext of the family unit. All that baggage between older parents and a disengaged adult child should crackle. It takes experience and nuance to get right.
The technical aspects of the production fare better, with set and lighting designs (by David Pierce, Andrea Henrickson, and Brandi Martin) that effectively create the serene ambiance of Golden Pond. Unfortunately, Ginger Kay Lewis Reed’s costume design falls short, feeling out of sync with the play’s time period.
The production also struggles under Karan Johnson’s staging. The claustrophobic approach to blocking confines much of the significant action upstage behind the sofa or against the wall, hindering the audience’s engagement. The lack of variety in tempo and scene work further exacerbates this issue, resulting in a somewhat monotonous viewing experience.
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Moreover, the decision to overlook Norman’s bigoted language without critique or response feels particularly out of touch in 2024. Norman’s opinions on Jews, lesbians, Puerto Ricans, Italians, and even Californians are unvarnished and played for humor rather than character development. While Norman may be portrayed as unfiltered and curmudgeonly, and such language may have seemed “acceptable” in 1979, allowing it to go unchecked without so much as a concerned look in the context of the play reflects poorly on the production’s sensitivity to contemporary social dynamics.
While well-intended, this rendition of “On Golden Pond” proves underwhelming, failing to reveal the heart of gold in Ernest Thompson’s classic.
“On Golden Pond” continues through June 9 at the 2nd Space Theatre.
