Two men are moving boxes into apartment 217 in the San Diego community of Linda Vista. They are long-time friends. Dick Wheeler is middle aged and has been divorced for two years. He wallows in negativity. This reboot represents his new lease on life. Wheeler may not be a fully realized curmudgeon but he’s on his way. He is a supremely hilarious character in Tracy Letts’ very funny dark comedy.
Is Wheeler ready to take on a next phase in life? He says so. “New friends are better than old people.” Loyalty is not a trait he values as it “leads to camping with Hitler.” Our anti-hero is also a progressive thinker. Can he find a middle ground with Trump voters? He cannot as they are “too stupid” and believe “humans walked around with dinosaurs.”
The barbs fly frequently in many directions. He thoroughly rejects the restaurant industry’s propensity for putting foam on a plate. “Does someone in the kitchen have rabies?” The humor is crotchety and cranky, like him. Regarding hippies: “I’m afraid of joy killers eating chick peas out of my skull.” The zingers go on and on.
Wheeler used to be a photographer for a Chicago newspaper but agreed to move with his wife when children arrived. They relocated to be near her family. That long ago life decision is one of the the storm clouds hanging over his head. “A lot of couples have offspring to distract them from their shattered dreams.” Now he works as a repair man in a camera shop.
Linda Vista is both a look back on life’s regrets as well as a commentary about living in today’s world. How does a snarky, self-flagellating, doughy underachiever reconnect with the world? His friends Paul (Jim True-Frost) and Margaret (Sally Murphy) will set him up on a date. Jules (Cora Vander Broek, terrific) arrives as a free but guarded spirit. The double date? A karaoke bar.
Ian Barford is outstanding as Wheeler. It is not possible to like him but occasional glimpses of goodness shine through the sarcasm. He meets a young woman in a bar in an awkward and very funny display of creepiness in today’s #metoo era. Chantal Thuy is exceptional as Minnie, a wisecracking, vulnerable, strong and misguided person. I expect she’ll have similar life regrets when she reaches fifty years old.
The last two characters in this situation comedy are Anita (Caroline Neff) and Michael (Troy West). Wheeler works with them at the small shop. These scenes showcase why the movement to eliminate inappropriate workplace environments took hold. Mr. Letts has written an enjoyable comedy with ample edginess. The plot, however, occasionally strains credibility through its 2:40 running time.
Now for some unfortunate news. As in every Second Stage production I have seen in their new Broadway venue (the Helen Hayes Theater), there is preshow seat drama. The first five rows are ridiculously crowded together. People were discussing their unhappiness with the ushers and some moved to open seats at the back of the house. Neck pains should be expected if you sit in the front row. When will they finally take a row out?
The bigger crime is Todd Rosenthal’s set and Dexter Bullard’s direction. Both were fine if you can actually see the whole play. More than a few times characters were positioned so far stage left that we could not see them at all. This was not obstructed view seating. The ticket price was not different than center orchestra. Here’s an idea, directors: try sitting in multiple locations during rehearsals to see if the blocking works for all the theater patrons. Nifty and considerate!
Originally presented by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Linda Vista is a very entertaining comedy. As the ornery Wheeler, Ian Barford scores big in the laugh department but he’s sad and pathetic too. The character is large and so is the performance. I highly recommend this play as long as your seat is better than mine.
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