If ever you hoped a story would never again hold contemporary relevance, it’s John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” which recalls that destitute time when all that was natural turned unnatural.
The elements turned furious in unison; the land turned barren; dirt turned up to the sky; families were turned out of their houses.
In the face of hunger, savage violence and misery of biblical proportions, man’s capacity to retain a shred of decency would be tested.
We’re not there yet, not by a long shot. But here’s where we are: By the end of the year, there will have been 2 million foreclosures on American homes. On Sept. 29 alone, $1.2 trillion in retirement savings simply disappeared.
And it just happens, last week was Banned Books Week. Lest we forget, “The Grapes of Wrath” was banned and burned in pockets across America in 1939 because protagonist Tom Joad turns union organizer. We live in a state where, right now, a contentious ballot initiative that would make it more difficult to organize workplaces is being called the “right to work” initiative by its proponents.
Funny how organizing workers for a few bucks a day was deemed “red” 70 years ago, and here we are, about to extend a $700 billion handout to America’s newest vagrants — on Wall Street.
And as if reading the newspaper, watching the TV and checking stock reports weren’t depressing enough, here comes a new staging of “The Grapes of Wrath.”
But here’s the thing: Steinbeck’s classic story is not only great literature (“the dawn came — but no day”), it’s the ultimate testament to man’s humanity to man. A message that never goes out of style.
Yes, the Joads weather enough epic calamities to make Odysseus seem like a spoiled frat boy. But when the telling is as thrillingly staged as it is by Colorado Springs’ TheatreWorks, you can’t help but exit feeling hopeful. About America. About theater.
Maybe not about the stock market, but two out of three. . . .
TheatreWorks isn’t fooling around here. That’s made clear by the presence of a strong, 31-actor ensemble director Geoff Kent has collected like migrants from points all over Colorado.
The notable include a solid Josh Clayton as Tom. You may recognize him from the Denver Center’s “Plainsong,” but he’s transformed here from unspeakable jock thug into an iconic hero whose slow-building, justifiable rage builds to a choice that’s only a metaphor for all of humankind.
There’s also the estimable Sean Tarrant, best-known for his comic roles with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, as fallen preacher Jim Casy; and award-winning Denver actor Mare Trevathan in a tiny, pivotal role, mingling with a host of fine TheatreWorks regulars such as Tom Paradise as Pa and winning young Ben Bonenfant as girl-crazy Joad brother Al.
But best of all, this “Grapes” is an overdue showcase for longtime Denver Center Theatre Company actor Leslie O’Carroll, whose Ma constitutes a force of nature the equal of any Dust Bowl. She’s fiercely maternal, brutal and heartbreaking at once. She also played Clayton’s mother in “Plainsong,” but it’s been forever since she’s been given a chance to show off her full arsenal in one setting.
Strumming narrator John- Alex Mason provides original period music that establishes a sense of place and eases the audience through the many scene transitions. He’s not terribly confident in performance, but the conceit works, especially when he and his washboard band cleverly simulate sound effects like the infamous Joad Jeep struggling to turn over its engine.
“Grapes” is also another fine effort by inventive scenic designer Michael Stanberry, whose prairie stage seems simple at first but is constantly unearthing new surprises. The climactic flood is harrowingly staged and cleanly executed, thanks to a subtle assist from soundman Will Boschelli.
That scene is enough to scare off many a director, but it’s nothing compared with the simple finale that follows.
It involves Ma, daughter Rose (an excellent Anna Moore) and a starving stranger. It’s a simple situation but when it comes to making a statement of hope and decency, no flood can touch it.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
“The Grapes of Wrath” ***1/2 (out of four stars)
Epic calamity. Presented by TheatreWorks at the Bon Vivant Theatre, 3955 Cragwood Drive, Colorado Springs. Adapted by Frank Galati from the John Steinbeck novel. Directed by Geoff Kent. Through Oct. 19. 2 hours, 40 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays. $15-$25. 719-262-3232 or .
