Clara Rodriguez and Landon Beatty (all photos by Doug Engalla)
The 1971 film Harold and Maude was a black comedy about a young man with a fascination with death and an elderly Holocaust survivor with a spirited joy for living. It was written by Colin Higgins and directed by Hal Ashby and starred the quirky Bud (Brewster McCloud) Cort and the even quirkier Ruth (Rosemary’s Baby) Gordon. It was not a financial success but eventually became a beloved cult classic. A year later Higgins adapted the story into a play in French which played for seven years. It later was produced in an English language version which Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood is currently presenting through March 19. The play jettisoned the anti-war sentiment subplot that was popular at the time of the film’s gestation without losing its charm. It was difficult to translate all that cinematic flair to the stage, but the dark comic bits—Harold’s suicide attempts—and the unusual love story were still on display.
Landon Beatty and Gina Yates
GRT’s production uses projections on the back wall and on smaller screens that come and go from the wings in an attempt to open up the action. Unfortunately, they don’t add much to the show and Larry Eisenberg’s lackadaisical direction lets the production drag on. Most scenes just meander until the eventual fitful blackout. The large supporting cast is fairly bland with only veteran Lloyd Pedersen’s Father Finnegan adding an occasional laugh. Gina Yates overplays her one scene as method actress Sunshine, who really get into Harold’s suicide attempt on their date.
Landon Beatty
The two lead characters are double cast for some reason. The duo I saw managed to make the most of their scenes, especially those where they were alone on stage. They had good chemistry and created believable characters. They are the heart and soul of the play. As Maude, Clara Rodriguez is a little spitfire as the soon-to-be-octogenarian, whether she is rescuing a tree from the city smog or eating nuts at a funeral. Landon Beatty’s Harold starts off quiet and reserved, as formal and colorless as the button-down clothes he wears. He is delighted to find someone who also enjoys going to funerals and he slowly comes alive under Maude’s tutelage. Their budding romance is believable in their assured hands. At curtain, Harold’s clothes are loose and colorful, and he is embracing life as he plucks his banjo.
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