"The Princess of Rome, Ohio" - A Review

   I should confess up front that I'm a fan of Jonathan Joy's plays.

   The Huntington playwright has a great knack for writing real characters in funny, true-life situations. His stories are also touching, with lots of heart, and very entertaining.

    So I was happy to catch the staging of his full-length play, The Princess of Rome, Ohio, at the Alban Arts Center in St. Albans (it's the former movie theatre on Main Street, which they've restored into a lovely theatre space).

   The play takes place on the front porch (and in the front yard) at the home of Lulu (played by Megan Mace). She's a single mother trying to raise a teenage daughter, coping with her eccentric friends and even more offbeat visitors. She does so with great humor, lots of grit and more than a few four-letter words.

   One of the visitors she has to deal with is her friend Alma (played by Lisa Gandee). She arrives broken-hearted, because the man in her life has run away and (literally) taken everything. She seeks comfort - and a place to stay - from her friend Lulu.

   The other woman in the show - and the most important character - is Lulu's daughter Hattie (played by Zoe Scarnborough). She suffers from the usual problems of a 14-year-old, and a few others besides - including her unusual parents, pesky boys and crazy residents in her neighborhood. She's the smartest character in the show, and the only one with any hope of straightening out the mess.

   Things really get tense when her father Bud (played by Barry Dailey) turns up - which is something of a surprise, since they thought he might be dead. Loud, bold, funny and larger than life, Bud isn't exactly welcome - but that doesn't mean he's going away.

   Much more subdued (but no less determined) is Jimmy (played by John Halstead, Jr.), the teenage boy next door who is courting Hattie - which is a bit of a trick, since she spends most of her time telling him to get lost.

   Related in real life (though not in the show) is Dicky (played by John Halstead, Sr.), who has a bit of a drinking problem - which would be fine, except he's also the local police officer.
   
   The last member of the cast (the ol' scene stealer) is England, played by Adam Bryan. As Lulu's new love interest, he doesn't get a lot of time on stage, but he makes the most of it.

   The cast does a terrific job portraying these real people thrown into sometimes crazy situations. The set doesn't change, but the cast makes excellent use of the space they have to work with, including some great physical comedy (Dicky was killing me with his attempts to eat breakfast while his hands were tied), clever dialogue (Bud trying to explain women to Jimmy was hilarious) and heartfelt moments (as Hattie uses an unusual method for getting everyone's undivided attention).

   It's a treat to see a clever, laugh-filled show that shines a spotlight on local characters and locations. The actors are all outstanding, crafting characters that are real, often very funny, and always fascinating.

   Kudos also to the directing team and the tech crew for a job well done!

   This weekend is your last chance to catch the show (I should mention that it does feature adult language and situations). It's presented Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday and 2 p.m.

   Don't miss it!