You Can't Take It With You

Written midway between the Great Depression and World War II, You Can't Take It With You is just the medicine for dark times. The endless war on terrorism or global warming got you down? In director Penny Metropulos' take on Broadway legends Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's frothy farce, "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" is more than a song, it's a way of life.

Randy Moore as Grandpa Martin Vanderhof and Jeanne Paulsen as Penelope Sycamore Photo: Terry Shapiro

Grandpa Martin Vanderhof's household is a refuge for family, friends, and acquaintances to follow their star—convention be damned! And who to hold sway over such an implausible convocation of characters but the ever-pliable and persuasive Randy Moore, whose homespun take on Grandpa makes life-transforming decisions seem as easy as trading in your castor oil for a hot fudge sundae.

Tossing off kind words and encouragement like an unflappable self-help guru, Moore establishes a center of calm in the midst of a raucous series of melodramatic events that swirl about him.

Hart and Kaufman make swift work of the set-up: Grandpa's married daughter, Penelope, spends her days writing plays she never finishes; her stocky daughter, Essie, dances around the house en point, dreaming of being a ballerina, while Essie's husband, Ed, is obcessed with a manual printing press that he employs to publish any phrase or idea that passes through his child-like mind.

Meanwhile, Penelope's husband, Paul, and Mr. DePinna, the ice man who ended up staying, are manufacturing fire crackers in the basement, the Irish cook and her handyman husband are expecting a baby, and, did we mention, the drunken actress that shows up to read for Penelope's play and the IRS agents that invade the house because grandpa doesn't pay his taxes?

Nisi Sturgis as Alice and Patrick Jones as Tony Kirby Photo: Terry Shapiro

In case you're wondering about the plot, it has to do with Penelope's other daughter, Alice, who's being courted by her wealthy boss' son, Tom. Given her family's menagerie and his blueblood pedigree, Alice is not sure their relationship can work. Tom, to his credit, is steadfast. You can't even begin to imagine what happens when Tom and his parent's come for dinner.

Mike Hartman as Boris Kolenkhov and Kathleen M. Brady as Grand Duchess Olga Photo: Terry Shapiro

Director Metropulos makes excellent use of her perfectly cast ensemble, eliciting a host of memorable characterizations, including Jeanne Paulsen's daffy Penelope, David Ivers simple Ed, and Mike Harman's larger than life Boris Kolenkhov, the ballet master. John Hutton transforms Mr. Kirby from a stick in the mud to a genuine nice guy. Nisi Sturgis is radiant as Alice, the love interest, and Patrick Jones is earnest and winsome as Tony Kirby, the unspoiled rich kid. And, oh yes, Kathleen Brady is the deus ex machina in the form of a grand Russian duchess.

William Bloodgood's set design and exquisite eclectic collection of antiques, contraptions, and clutter fill out the impressive cutaway of a living room, study, foyer, and stairwell. Deb Trout's period costumes are snappy. Richard M. Scholwin's sound design and Don Darnutzer's lighting add to the emotional canvas that runs from nostalgia to old-fashioned fun to pyrotechnics.

The Denver Center Theatre Company's production of You Can't Take It With You runs through October 20th. 303-893-4100.

Bob Bows