(OUTview NW) THEATER RE-view: NCTC's 'Festen' is "PURE 'Family' DRAMA"!

Is Anyone in this Family Truly Happy?  (Photo;  John Ulman)

by MK Scott

Back in 2013, I saw and reviewed the Tracy Letts' Black Comedy, August: Osage County at (the now defunct) Balagan Theater, and the subject matter of a incestuous, dysfunctional family was shocking and took 3 hours to get there. Currently the New Century Theater's production of David Eldridge's Festen, goes there and more and it is another one of those 90 Minute ONE Acts.

Festen was based from an infamous 1998 Danish film with the english title of 'The Celebration" about a family gathering turned nightmare, but I am getting too far ahead. The Play also proves there is dysfunction in all classes from the middle class of  August: OC to the upper crust of Festen,  with fifth and denial it has no barriers.


The beginning has the typical favorite son, Christian (The always Fab, Connor Toms, who we enjoyed in SRT's Hound and the Baskervilles) and the resentful and overacted son, Michael (MJ Sieber, who directed NCTC's last show we reviewed, The Flick) and the oversexed women in their lives, Michael's wife, Mette (Brenda Joyner) and Christian's past dalliance with the family maid, Pia (Emily Chisholm, most recently Gregory nominated in The Flick). Michael bullies and hassles his wife before their very graphic sex scene (one of the most graphic I have ever seen on stage) while Pia is seducing Christian, who rebuffs her advances.

Once the family and extended family arrive including the hilarious antics of Peter Dylan O'Connor, Evan Whitfield and Conner Nedderson that is where the play picks up and goes into Pure Family Drama.

"Me, a Lying Bitch?"     (Photo;  John Ulman)

The Celebration is all about the 60th Birthday of Helge (the Totally WASPy, Bradford Farwell), the family patriarch and it isn't clear if he is truly loved or are they wanting to be in his will. The answer is 'Pure Denial' when Christian volunteers to give the first toast, he reveals how his recently deceased twin sister, Linda and himself were raped by their celebrated father. Awkward! No body believes Christian and so the celebration continues. Later, the Matriarch (The Icy, Amy Thone) speaks and Christian calls her a 'Lying Bitch' and reveals she walked in on him and his father doing the deed. The denial continues as everyone bursts in danish song!

Things change when the one person who could collaborate the whole sordid story does and we see a complete 180.

With a cast about a dozen actors, director, Wilson Milam does a great job in strengthening his ensemble and that is always key when you have action and dialogue over other dialogue and action at the same time, like with shows that ask for that, one that comes to mind is Michael Frayn's Noises Off.

If NCTC does a strong and powerful show like Festen, than I would love to see what they would do with a show like, "August: OC"!

NCTC's ‘Festen’ by David Eldridge, continues through Nov. 21 at 12th Avenue Arts in Seattle. Click HERE for Tix and Info.