newportbeachindy . com FEBRUARY 17 , 2023 9

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Natalie Bright and Jess Andrews in SCR ’ s 2023 Voices of America production of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins . Photo by Jenny Graham .

to fund the new venture , and what will Ben and Oscar do if he refuses to help ?

What at first glance looks like a drawingroom period drama emerges as a razorsharp dissection of the many ways in which greed can warp whatever it touches .

The famed playwright understands human nature , and she understands those who have had the world in the palm of their hands , have seen it slip away , and are willing to do just about anything to get it back .

While the play ’ s title is from a line in the Bible , it also alludes to Regina , Oscar and Ben ’ s efforts to outfox one another – but their ruthlessness is toxic , poisoning everything in its path .

Peterson ’ s expertly crafted staging has a rich regional flavor born of Hellman ’ s text and SCR ’ s evocative production , and the actors have perfected the Alabama dialect , making their delivery a delight .

The pedigree of the script and Hellman ’ s skill in creating a singular world yield a play that makes us shudder as we witness primal aggression but also makes us laugh – laughs that help us absorb the brutal impact of ugly actions and emotions .

Cochran ’ s portrayal of Regina is pleasingly shaded with nuance : cagily non-committal , never tipping her hand .

Jones ’ red-faced , fiery Oscar is a choleric , sour scold whose domination of wife Birdie ( Kim Martin-Cotton , filling in for Tessa Auberjonois in the performance reviewed ) is shockingly vicious .

Baricelli ’ s Ben is every inch the calm , relaxed yet commanding gentleman of the Old South , ever willing to wait out any adversary – yet he ’ s , by turns , weary and exasperated .

Jones and Baricelli show both brothers as crafty , fancying themselves as able to outsmart anyone . In fact , even when dealing with each other , all three siblings expect others to bend to their will .

Arkin inherited the role of the besieged Horace last-minute from Bill Geisslinger , and he ’ s simply superb : His Horace is a selfeffacing man who refuses to allow avarice to corrupt his soul , literally sick at heart over Regina and her family ’ s double-dealing ways . Yet he ’ s smarter and tougher than any of the Hubbards give him credit for .

Oscar ’ s routine cruelty has driven Birdie to drink in secret , and Martin-Cotton reveals wellsprings of pathos beneath Birdie ’ s forced good cheer . It ’ s a façade that masks bitter disappointment in her marriage and the course her life has taken .

The clan ’ s younger members , Leo and Alexandra , at first appear cut from the same cloth as their elders – but look again . Hunter Spangler aptly shows Leo as a younger , more impatient version of his dad – a devious schemer-in-training under Oscar ’ s guidance . By contrast , Jess Andrews ’ Alexandra grows increasingly horrified at mom Regina ’ s ruthlessness , Hellman clearly using the character to represent herself .

The play ’ s subtext depicts a world where blacks are taken for granted and their submission to whites is a given – a condition that explains how Southern white families were able to dominate , and to prosper in the extreme .

Whereas Zalen D . King shows Hubbard servant Cal ’ s demeanor as pliant , Kaci Hamilton ’ s Addie isn ’ t afraid to speak her mind or stand up to the Hubbards . ( King and Hamilton belatedly took over these roles from original cast members Victor A . Morris and Safiya Fredericks .)

Southern eccentricity is on full display , and it ’ s clear that Hellman , who based its characters on members of her own family , viewed her heritage with little fondness .

Cochran charms and dazzles as Regina despite Regina ’ s stance as manipulator in chief , who can more than hold her own in dealing with her brothers . You might not like her , but Hellman , Peterson and Cochran make it easy to understand her personality and motives .

Bolstering both shows is the stellar design team of Lawrence E . Moten III ( scenic ), Dominique Fawn Hill ( costumes ) and Tom Ontiveros ( lighting ) bolsters both shows . Visually , “ The Little Foxes ” is simply gorgeous due to its period trappings , while the look of “ Appropriate ” is less ornate and colorful yet no less substantial .

In some ways , “ Appropriate ” is like a contemporary retelling of Hellman ’ s classic . It ’ s set in the South ( Arkansas ) in the nowcrumbling mansion of the Lafayette family ,

SC REPERTORY Page 11

3 / 5 SONNY LANDRETH

3 / 9 ALBERT CUMMINGS

3 / 10 JD SOUTHER

3 / 11 THE SMITHEREENS

3 / 16 HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN

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3 / 17 THE FENIANS 3 / 18 SERGIO MENDES 3 / 19 GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA 3 / 23 PETTY CASH

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FORMER MEMBERS 5 / 7 METALACHI 5 / 12 QUEEN NATION ( Queen TribuTe ) 5 / 19 JOHN CAFFERTY

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( sTeeLy dan TribuTe ) 8 / 18 SPYRO GYRA 8 / 19 MADELEINE PEYROUX 10 / 7 RONDSTADT REVIVAL

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