American Dream Turns Expectations Inside Out
by Faith Richards

When most people think of the American dream, they think of Horatio Alger and the possibility of making it big in the New World. However, whatever expectations are brought to Edward Albee’s play The American Dream, these ideas will be turned upside down and inside out throughout the course of the performance.
The story is set within the confines of the living room of a small apartment belonging to a couple called Mommy (junior Kim Guerra) and Daddy (junior Mike Severino). They are constantly complaining about why some mysterious people called “They” are late, and are unable to communicate with each other. Under the surface, there is obviously some larger issue between them that is creating distance in their relationship. The appearance of Grandma (Laël Avery), who is the mother of Mommy, seems to give the audience some clue as to what is straining the relationship, but everything is not as it seems.

Grandma and Mommy fight ceaselessly about Grandma’s old age and whether or not the “van man” should be called to take her away. Then the doorbell rings. We learn more about the family when Mommy and Daddy fight about whether he should answer the door. When Daddy refuses, Mommy accuses him of being a woman and he finally gives in.
The entrance of Mrs. Barker (sophomore Aubrey O’Connor), the mysterious “They” who Mommy and Daddy were speaking about earlier, causes even more tension in the family and more utterances of sarcastic witticisms from Grandma. At this point, it might seem that many of the vagaries presented would be cleared up, but the plot simply thickens: Mommy, Daddy and Grandma refuse to tell Mrs. Barker exactly why she has been invited to the apartment. After a great deal of argument, contradiction and anger, some of the confusion is wiped away, only to give way to more confusion when Mommy, Daddy and Mrs. Barker have all exited and a Young Man (first-year Alex Abell) enters and proclaims himself “The American Dream.” Although the plot eventually ties up loose ends, audience members may still walk away feeling that they have not really grasped the real meaning.

Despite the play’s complex and symbolic plot, it is full of humor that lightens the mood and keeps the audience enthralled even if they do not fully comprehend the action or meaning. Grandma is a very witty and sarcastic old woman who knows how to manipulate everyone around her, while Mommy is the stereotypical, overbearing woman who married for money. Daddy knows when to intervene and when to keep quiet, while Mrs. Barker is content to look the other way and give dirty looks. The comedy that is intertwined with the complicated action is certainly enough to make the audience “blush and giggle,” in the words of Daddy.
Sophomore director Matt Franks was reluctant to give any director’s notes, saying that audience members should think about it on their own. He put a great deal of thought into the production, though. The cast was well-appreciated and Shipherd Lounge was used well; the setting brought the audience in and made them part of the play.

The overall effect of The American Dream was to draw the audience into a surreal world where anything might happen next. There were a few minor breaks in character, especially when anything particularly funny happened, but in general the actors handled their parts very well. The audience should not expect perfection, but instead should expect to be entertained in a highly
unusual way. As Grandma says, “it’s every man for himself around here.”

The American Dream will be performed April 25-27 at 8 p.m. in Shipherd Lounge (Asia House).
April 26
May 3

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