Harry leaves the water running in the bathtub, puts dirty dishes in the oven, and keeps locking himself out of the house. He talks about deceased friends as if they are still alive until he catches himself. But 85-year old Harry Townsend is charming, full of life and quips. Len Cariou is delightful as the title character in Harry Townsend’s Last Stand.
When his son Alan (Craig Bierko) visits from CA after an 18-month absence, Harry realizes that he has an ulterior motive. Alan does have a goal -to convince his father to leave the home in which he is living by himself and move to Meadowwood, a senior development.
Eighty-year old Cariou (Sweeney Todd) is perfect as Harry. At times he speaks with practiced hesitation as if he can’t quite recall his lines, but he doesn’t miss a beat and his delivery is perfect for the aging Harry. Ironically, Bierko made the only mistake in the play. He has more energy and personality than does his son, whose uptightness seems suggested by the buttoned-up suit jacket he wears.
Harry is quick to make a joke even when the situation isn’t quite funny. He mocks getting older, saying “We yell because we can’t hear each other, our stomachs growl and gurgle like a Mister Coffee and we all have gas.”
Bierko (“The Music Man,” “The Good Wife”) doesn’t have as juicy a part as Cariou. His role is more reactive. When Harry speaks of sex, which he does quite often, Alan reacts, usually showing obvious discomfort and disgust. Understandably so, since these are his parents Harry is discussing. Director Karen Carpenter has Bierko overdo the broad expressions.
Harry does realize that he’s faltering and not recalling things. However, he is loathe to leave behind his memories, particularly those of his beloved wife. He’s saddened to realize that most of the people who lived there have passed on or moved away.
The casting is fine. The problem with the play is the storyline. Despite his obvious love for his father, Alan is not a sympathetic character. His backstory is given short shrift. Father and son never had close relationship, and Harry says they never fought. However, Alan just recalls feeling that he was a constant source of disappointment to his father. Playwright George Eastman resolves issues too easily. The reconciliation of father and son with a box of memorabilia feels contrived.
The individual viewer’s reaction to the play may be personal. One person at intermission noted that the play ‘felt too close for comfort.” My colleague got a bit angry at Harry’s humor and Eastman’s attempts to lighten the sadness of the situation. My friend’s mother’s experiences with serious dementia were challenging. Eastman makes Harry’s dilemma simplistic by offering only two options-stay at home or go to a senior home. Harry’s third option would have been to get home health aides.
No matter how what your personal experiences are, Harry Townsend Takes A Stand is worth the visit just to observe Len Cariou. When we watch a veteran performer, we appreciate how talent sometimes just gets better with age.
