Review: LOST IN YONKERS at Center Rep
The production runs through April 19.
Center Rep presents Neil Simon’s classic tale of family and obligations, Lost in Yonkers. In a world of sound bites, TikTok, and AI images, this show reminds us that when it comes to family, things haven’t really changed that much. With humor and heart, the show demonstrates that even in the midst of hurt and misunderstanding, there’s still no place like home.
Following their mother’s death, brothers Jay and Arty find themselves in a sticky situation. Their father has racked up a sizable debt and needs to take a job on the road in order to pay it off. Their only option now is to live with their estranged, difficult, and harsh Grandmother Kurnitz and their emotionally fragile and childlike Aunt Bella. The family’s downstairs business, an ice cream and candy shop provides after school work for the boys, but no respite from the judgemental eye of their grandmother. Their Uncle Louie comes for a visit bringing along his own issues and advice for the boys. Aunt Bella finds an opportunity for independence and long-awaited love, but her plan throws the entire family into a tailspin where things long unspoken rise to the surface. Once broken, can they find a way to put the family back together again.
The difficult story is elevated by strong performances throughout the cast. Starting with the brothers, Tristan J. Rodriguez as Jay and Ray Khalili as Arty ground the story with their earnestness. Rodriguez apty navigates the difficult position of older brother where decisions affect more than yourself. And Khalili’s ability to lighten the mood with his quick wit is only surpassed by his soulful eyes that hit you right in the gut. Renee Rogoff tackles the role of Aunt Bella with a full bodied physicality. From exuberance to tenderness, she never allows Bella to become limited in expression. Ellen Ratner’s Grandma Kurnitz is sharp, quick and cuts like steel. But if you watch her carefully, you need the emotional load she has carried her whole life and how it has bent her into someone even she doesn’t recognize. Vinny Randazzo somehow manages to both add comedic relief and raise the stakes. He takes what could be extraneous exposition and makes it vital.
When everything in a show works together with ease, it can all seem so natural. Nancy Carlin’s work as director almost disappears into the show as nothing feels forced, contrived, or out of place. The flow, movement, and pacing all fit with the story in an authentic way. The Costumes by Beck Bodurtha are outstanding with a special nod to the footwear. Deanna Zibello’s scenic design is both expansive and detailed. The use of sections of letters on the walls underscores how important those letters are to the boys. The work of dramaturg Ashley Baumgartner shows up in authentic historical touches from hat pins, to sock garters, to ladies feet crossed at the ankles rather than the knees.
Lost in Yonkers can seem like a simple story of the struggles of a family with divergent personalities. But it refuses to stop at the mundane. It peels back laters, cuts deeper and exposes the long-term impact of emotional abuse and the cycle of trauma. Its boldest statement is one that younger and older generations understand - the necessity of affection. Familial love is universal, but learning to understand how to show and accept that love is the work of a lifetime. Lost in Yonkers reminds us of this vital work and the difference it can make for yourself and your loved ones.
Lost in Yonkers is playing at Center Rep now through April 19.
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