‘Social Security’ commands fiery performances
Lightning-quick responses, retorts sustain satire in Bergman’s
comedy of overbearing mother, in-laws
By Jennifer Richmond
Daily Bruin Staff
The Kahns (Michael Daniel Vila and Susan Allenbach) have finally
gotten to a point in their career where things are going smoothly.
Their gallery is popular and they have some of the best artists
around in their shop. But now their worst nightmare is about to
come true: Barbara’s harridan mother, Sophie (Joan-Carol Bensen),
is coming to stay with them.
In Andrew Bergman’s "Social Security," Barbara Kahn and her
husband, David, learn that a family problem can turn into a
wonderful experience for all involved.
When mother’s usual caretaker, sister Trudy and her husband,
Martin, telephone to warn the two they’re coming over to "discuss"
a family problem, Barbara knows it can’t be good news.
Unfortunately, the opening scene isn’t good news either.
Although Barbara’s gloom-and-doom outlook on life coupled with
David’s dry unemotional attachment should make for outstanding
comedy, the two can’t make the recipe work.
Allenbach sounds like she’s reading her lines off a page, making
Vila’s comic retorts fall flat. It’s not until Trudy (Gayle Rogers)
and Martin Heyman (Howard Bensen) appear, that the production
really gets under way and the acting begins.
The responses and retorts start bouncing off each other like
lightning off a lightning rod and the conversation no longer sounds
scripted. Because of this sudden change, the story becomes a
delight.
It seems the Heyman’s daughter, Sarah, is off at her first year
of college and consequently has become a sex maniac. So, since her
parents are a little less than pleased about her current social
activities, they have decided to visit her. Since the Heymans will
be away, they have no choice but to leave Sophie with the Kahns for
a while until they return, scaring the hell out of the Kahns.
The Kahns’ anguish is wonderful to watch. Here, director Lewis
Hauser takes Bergman’s script and sets the scene perfectly with the
Kahns standing back to back as they listen to their in-laws drop
the bomb. It’s a hysterically funny moment that leaves the audience
impatient for the second act.
When the play resumes, Barbara has had her overbearing, nagging
mother in her apartment for two weeks and is ready to kill either
herself or her mother, whichever comes first. Sophie is annoying,
upsetting and harsh. All perfect qualities for a hated parent. But
what really instills fear in everyone are her entrances.
Sophie makes certain you know she’s around. Her walker isn’t
just a tool to help her get from one place to another, it becomes a
torture device to make one quake with fear. Every time she moves
she slams it on the floor, thereby stirring apprehension in
everyone from cast to audience.
But when she meets Maurice Koenig (Jack Rubens), a famous
painter, Sophie sheds her overbearing attitude and becomes a
delightful individual, one Barbara can easily relate to and love as
a dear girlfriend.
Not only has Sophie improved, but everyone else seems to have
gained ground both as characters and as the actors themselves.
Allenbach steadily improves from beginning to end, Vila’s flippant
attitude becomes more and more delicious, using his demeaning
retorts at every possible moment, and Rogers becomes so
pathetically lost and lonely that one almost finds themselves
feeling sorry for her  almost.
All do such great work with Bergman’s satire it’s hard to
believe this Broadway smash is at a lesser known theater and not
some place like the Tiffany.
STAGE: "Social Security." Written by Andrew Bergman. Directed by
Lewis Hauser. Starring Michael Daniel Vila, Susan Allenbach and
Joan-Carol Bensen. Running through Feb. 11 at the Morgan-Wixson
Theatre in Santa Monica. Performs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
and Sundays at 2 p.m. TIX: $10 and $8 with a valid student ID. For
more info call (310) 828-7519.