Michael Snead's directing debut of Pat Cook's A Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas got off to a good start at the Millbrook Community Theatre on Thursday night, entertaining its audience with a good-hearted, family-friendly Holiday-themed comedy.
Played on a charming "living room" set enhanced by a new L.E.D. lighting system, the 1-hour and 40-minutes production is told in a series of short scenes that could flow better with fewer blackouts and the addition of music between them; and, as Mr. Snead develops his directing skills, he'll get a stronger sense of pace and staging dynamics.
A 14-member ensemble of veteran and neophyte actors show us a multi-generational family [three sisters, their spouses and children, both sets of grandparents/inlaws, and a well-intentioned neighbor] -- all good people at heart, but with assorted quirks that get on each others' nerves -- as they gather for Christmas and try with varying degrees of success to be on their good behavior: familiar territory, and ample room for comic possibilities. -- And, they deliver.
It's silly and predictable, full of character types and stereotypical takes on gender roles, and with sufficient plot twists and surprises that sustain audience interest and engagement -- we recognize ourselves in the characters on-stage who show concern for one another, who bicker and cajole and blame and forgive, and ultimately demonstrate the love and understanding that keep a family together at Christmas, or at any time of the year.
