Stage Review
'Harvey' delivers some 'old-fashioned charm'

Mary Chase may not have actually invented whimsey in 1943 when she wrote "Harvey," but she came darn close. Since then, the play about an invisible, 7-foot tall white rabbit has been a favorite for revival.

Directed by Brad Powell for The Actors’ Group, the show has plenty of old-fashioned charm, and a large cast, headed by Sam Polson as Elwood P. Dowd, is ready to exploit it. The production has an easy pace and a natural rhythm that lets the laugh lines unfold.

Polson easily wraps his arms around the part of Elwood, casually inhabiting a character who tried living in reality for 40 years, then took a different path on the night he met Harvey. Harvey is a "pooka," a large, mischievous animal that is visible only when it chooses. It can foretell the future and make time stand still for its chosen friends.

Elwood and Harvey have been buddies ever since, spending most of their time drinking cocktails - since "no one ever takes anything small into a bar" - and meeting new friends. But their friendship has caused family strain, and now Elwood’s sister and niece have decided to have him committed to a rest home.

So over the course of three acts, Elwood calmly sails through a tempest of doctors, lawyers, nurses, orderlies and fuming family. Through mistaken identities, escapes and missed connections, Polson keeps a steady keel and never lets Elwood disconnect from his sanity. It’s a sleeper of a part, usually identified with Jimmy Stewart, and one that gives Polson a chance to underplay, but still get plenty of laughs.

Mary Frances Kabel-Gwin is also excellent as Veta, fuming her way toward a nervous breakdown while trying to rid herself of Elwood and his pooka. Ruthie Wells as niece Myrtle Mae also has several nice scenes, playing the comedy a bit over the top, but consistently connecting with the audience.

Among the many supporting players, Duane Wilson is the disorderly orderly, George Russell and Patrick Casey are a pair of doctors and Tricia Marciel is the nurse with a calming effect.

If you already know the tiny Yellow Brick Studio stage, you’ll be fascinated by the puzzle box set changes. If you’ve never found your way down to Kaka‘ako after dark, your reward on this trip will be a delightful, old-fashioned comedy.

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