Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“The Song of Summer” Sings Small Town Despair—at S.F. Playhouse

“The Song of Summer” Sings Small Town Despair—at S.F. Playhouse

July 31, 2021 Patricia L. Morin

Lauren Yee Exposes Love’s Labor’s Lost in Pottsville, PA  

by Patricia L. Morin & Barry David Horwitz

“The Song of Summer,” a comedy by Lauren Yee, follows the rocky romance between a pop star and his long lost hometown girlfriend. Yee introduces us to the downtrodden citizens of a former coal mining town who live with unrealized hopes and vanished dreams.

Uptight singer and one-hit wonder Robbie (sensitive Jeremy Kahn) has topped the charts with his hit summer song. But the song has a questionable refrain: “Girl, I wanna empower you to make a bad decision.” The words are suddenly considered “rape-y,” igniting #MeToo wrath.

Kahn’s subtle gestures and expressions convey Robbie’s feelings of insignificance with perfection. Kahn creates a wonderfully awkward comic Robbie, with nuances from fool to saint.

Anne Darragh (Mrs. C.) & Jeremy Kahn (Robbie). Photos by Jessica Palopoli

When Robbie flees a booing audience, he ends up at the home of his childhood piano teacher, loving Mrs. C. (compassionate Anne Darragh). In her inviting living room, stacked boxes are everywhere, crammed with her former students’ work.

Darragh’s Mrs. C., a wonderful comic character, is slightly spacey, but spreads understanding and warmth. She hoards the work of her former students and keeps secrets with a smile.

Monica Ho (Tina) & Jeremy Kahn (Robbie)

When Mrs. C’s adopted daughter Tina turns up, the tone changes sharply. Tina (powerful Monica Ho) is Robbie’s angry, tough-talking ex-girlfriend; clearly, she is shocked to see him again. Quick-witted Tina attacks Robbie with questions about his aimless life. He got out of Pottsville—and she did not—so her character is stuck on that angry note.

Tina and Robbie are artifacts of a town frozen in time—he’s indecisive, she’s contentious. Tina’s constant combativeness and Robbie’s endless weakness take their toll. Early on, Robbie claims that Tina “is a 7 and I am a 4,” with his typical defeatism.

Reggie D. White (Joe) & Jeremy Kahn (Robbie)

Director Bill English keeps the scenes tight and sharp with a steady hand. Tina’s brazenness feels more like New York, although her constant verbal attacks hide a deep uncertainty.

When Tina and Robbie’s voices meld in song, they reignite their old flame—blending in comedic harmony. Yet, smoldering under their roller coaster debates, we see cultural and racial prejudices simmering.

Bringing a breath of fresh life, Robbie’s manager Joe (charismatic Reggie D. White) bursts in, trying to get Robbie back on the road to stardom and out of this dead-end town. With welcome flair, White brings honesty and humor. Joe operates like a master manipulator, and we love his wit and charm. Joe deals with the press skillfully: “Your song doesn’t degrade women, it empowers them,” he claims, spinning the crisis.

Reggie D. White (Joe) & Jeremy Kahn (Robbie)

Even Tina combats racism when she retorts to the question of why she didn’t become a doctor: “Why, just because I’m Asian?” Yee’s play is sprinkled with these gestures to the American sense of justice, but they don’t always land.

“The Song of Summer,” at times delightful and funny, leaves several verses unsung. At the last moment, the play shines a glimmer of hope into the life of the couple and the town—for a surprising climax that will touch you.

 

“The Song of The Summer” by Lauren Yee, directed & designed by Bill English, videos by Wolfgang Lancelot Wacholovsky, music by Everett Elton Bradman, at San Francisco Playhouse. Live & Online at: SFPlayhouse.org – to Saturday, August 14, 2021.

Cast: Anne Darragh, Monica Ho, Jeremy Kahn, and Reggie D. White.

Banner photo: Anne Darragh & Jeremy Kahn. Photos by Jessica Palopoli


Plays
Capitalism, comedy, exploitation, Family, friendship, hope, Identity, justice, love, music, power, race, Romance, Satire, sex, social class, wit, women, workers

Post navigation

NEXT
“Eliogabalo”: A Righteous Romp in the Redwoods—at West Edge Opera
PREVIOUS
John Fisher’s E.S.P. Keeps S.F. Theater Thriving
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us

BLM

Black Lives Matter

Subscribe for upcoming reviews!
Loading

Current Shows

  • “Private” Tears A Marriage Wide Open—at SFBATCO
  • “Dry Powder” Spotlights Wall Street Power-Brokers—at Left Edge
  • “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” Enchants with Sass & Satire—at Ross Valley
  • “Clue” Melds Mystery & Comedy into Entertaining Adventure—at SF Playhouse
  • “Donna”: Intimate Interviews Celebrate Trans Triumphs—On Screen
  • “Fannie”: Sixties Spirituals Pave Path to Freedom—at TheatreWorks
  • “’Tasha” Tackles Raw Racism—at 3Girls
  • “Tea Party” Brews Up a Cup of America—at The Strand
  • “A Raisin in the Sun” Explodes with Drama and Power—at 6th Street
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Deserves Its Standing Ovation—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Mixes Nostalgic Hits with Terror—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Fun Home” Seduces with Strong Songs & Sultry Sass—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Anything Goes”: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-lovely—at 42nd Street Moon
  • “SIX, The Musical” Celebrates Women’s Freedom & Individuality—at BroadwaySF
  • “Fun Home” Bursts with Love & Feeling—at Berkeley Playhouse

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.
Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC. Follow us on: facebook.com

© 2023   All Rights Reserved.