Watching the Wheelhouse revival at the Duke of the company’s spring 2018 revival at the Gene Frankel of Kurt Vonnegut’s first play, Happy Birthday, Wanda June, a person could get to feeling like a Democrat at a Donald J. Trump rally: flummoxed, flabbergasted and furious.
Needless to say, that agitated response wasn’t Vonnegut’s intention in 1970 when he came up with his hefty swipe at the world’s mindlessly macho men, so prevalent in every century. But poking dark fun at current global leader Trump today is surely one of the reasons—if not the entire reason—Wheelhouse has rolled it out again. (Did they also consider Alfred Jarry’s Ubu Roi with the title figure in an orange wig?)
The Happy Birthday, Wanda June hero is Harold Ryan (Jason O’Connell), a narcissistic blowhard whose hobby is hunting big game, a pastime announced before he enters via animal heads mounted on the wall of Brittany Vasta’s living room set further dominated by wallpaper boasting large jungle-like fronds.
Harold is so into his preoccupation that when he returns after eight years missing in a war of some sort, he gives signs of reverting to animal behavior. He’s constantly growling and baring his teeth as he struts around the faux-tiger-skin upholstered furniture. HIs primal screeches aren’t so frightening, though, as is the Ryan front doorbell. That device emits a lion’s roar whenever it’s rung. (Thanks go to sound designer Mark Van Hare.)
Obstreperous Harold’s appearance comes at an inconvenient moment. Wife Penelope Ryan (Kate MacCluggage) has finally decided her husband is dead and she can accept the proposal offered by peace-loving Dr. Norbert Woodley (Wheelhouse co-founder Matt Harrington), the physician next door.
Not a fan of his father or impending stepfather, young son Paul Ryan (Finn Faulconer) is a feckless rebel. In no way is he a comfort to a mother caught between a rock (Harold) and a soft place (Norbert). (Yes, the character name is yet another clearly unintended, but handy, hint at the nation’s current obsequious government.)
Incidentally, when Harold shows up, he brings along Colonel Looseleaf Harper (Craig Wesley Divino), a scatterbrained sidekick who—get this!—dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and is developing a sense of guilt after not caring one way or another for quite a while. Also spending time with the Ryans is Herb Shuttle, who’s hoping he’ll be the one to win Penelope’s hand.
So Vonnegut lets Harold out of a scripted cage to insult everyone. He flaunts his convictions that causing divisiveness to the point of violence is how the world must be managed. He does everything he can to promote discord, not stopping short of calling for more guns.
Sound familiar these days. Certainly does, and there’s no question that Trump satire is welcome. On the other hand, satire, no matter how deeply it ventures into the weeds, must be funny. Unfortunately, this Happy Birthday, Wanda June doesn’t succeed at that necessary goal.
As directed by Wheelhouse co-founder Jeff Wise, it’s loud and confrontational—Harold does much of his growling directly at the audience—but it’s no more than that. Just letting a tyrannical hollow man storm around isn’t enough. It’s less than enough. It’s alienating. Making matters worse, the activities handed the other characters have no helpful afflatus.
What must be said, however, is that neither director Wise nor the actors should share blame for the two-act, two-hour tedium. They’re trying hard enough, not the least O’Connell who gives himself over completely to the focal boor. By the way, there is a boar’s heads on the wall, perhaps designer Vasta’s indulging a visual pun.
That onus goes to author Vonnegut. He’s solely responsible for this laughless wonder. (N.B.: The 1971 movie, starring Rod Steiger as a fulminating Harold, was no barrel of LOLs, either.) But wait, it behooves a reviewer to report that some audience members did laugh. A good guess might be that they are fans of Vonnegut’s from the 1960s and 1970s when he was all the rage. (Or are they Trump supporters recognizing their hero?) Those who aren’t Vonnegut fans and never were can be excused from attendance.
So what about Vonnegut’s title? It turns out that Wanda June—whose name is on a birthday cake purchased for a Ryan party that never happens—was killed by an ice cream truck before her parent could pick up the cheering baked good. She does show up (Charlotte Wise, Brie Zimmer at other performances) to praise her life in heaven. Is anyone reading about Vonnegut’s twee conceit yukking it up? Didn’t think so.
A last few words: It’s worth paying attention to the name Penelope as well as to the Ryan son waiting for a warrior’s homecoming. Vonnegut is paying homage to Homer’s Odyssey. Maybe that’s worth a few literary merit points.
Happy Birthday, Wanda June opened October 23, 2018, at the Duke and runs to November 28. Tickets and information: wheelhousetheater.org
