"Reminiscing with Anna" offers charming look at one woman's journey through 20th century

This review appeared in The Flint Journal on Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Still, when Flint Youth Theatre's Artistic Director William P. Ward sat down with his grandmother some 15 years ago, he was able to do just that. "Reminiscing with Anna," which opened Friday at FYT, is the play that grew out of those hours spent asking questions and listening to her tale of a life that spanned the 20th century.

Four actors play a host of characters mentioned and described by the feisty and often forgetful Anna (Bea Enders) as she sits in her comfy Richmond, Mich., living room. But it all begins with The Grandson (Walter Hill), who sets the stage by remembering frequent trips to Detroit as a boy and his enchantment with streetcar tracks.

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If you go • "Reminiscing with Anna" continues at Flint Youth Theatre through Dec. 20. • For tickets, contact the box office at (810) 237-1530. Set in the Elgood Theatre three-sided stage, lighting and sound are crucial to the living history aspects of this piece. The now long-gone tracks are represented with lighting and recur through the play to ground the story and remind us of the historical fascination that prompted this dramatic journey in the first place. Hill plays 40-some parts as he brings various characters to life. Among them is the mailman, the postmaster, the wicked stepmother, the undertaker, and even a vicious attack rooster as Anna's life is re-enacted. Doing major justice to the role of the younger Anna is Andrea M. Anthony. She brings enthusiasm, spunk and an endearing spirit to every moment. Whether portraying Anna as a child, a young woman, or a mother and wife, Anthony is outstanding.
As both Anna's Daddy and her husband Hank, Kody C. Jones carries himself well.

With only a slight change of coat and hat, he is able to clearly define these characters. He is especially adept at locking his characters in time. As Ward's script retells the life of his grandmother, it is striking to note that nothing really momentous is discussed, but what does come through is how really intriguing the humdrum of everyday life can be. As did Ward, we found the spunky and often cantankerous Anna's reminiscences about life on the farm and in early 20th century Detroit charming and amusing. Unfortunately continuity in the story was a bit confusing as the tale bounces around in time. Also, the show is longer than most youth theatre offerings at an hour and 50 minutes, which includes an intermission. Small children might find that length too much for their attention span, but a group of teens at Friday's performance seemed mesmerized.

Overall, this is a stimulating exercise that might spark youngsters to investigate their own family tree. As Anna's grandson observes, perhaps the last frontier isn't the future at all. Perhaps the last frontier is the past where memories bring us face to face with ourselves.

"Reminiscing with Anna" continues at Flint Youth Theatre through Dec. 20. For ticket information contact the box office at (810) 237-1530.

***
By Kathleen Kirby
Contributing Writer, The Flint Journal