Waukesha Freeman
May 14, 2010
'Trip
to Bountiful'
arouses memories of the past
by
JULIE McHALE
Presented by The Acacia Theatre Company at Concordia University Wisconsin, it is a poignant piece and the worthy cast did the fine script justice.
There are probably places where each of us feels the most at home, the most comfortable and the most at one with the total environment.
The main character, Mrs. Carrie Watts, presently lives with her son, Ludie, and his wife, Jessie Mae. As she ages, she becomes obsessed with returning to Bountiful, Texas, a small rural town where she lived both as a child and as a married woman. Her present surroundings are not to her liking because of the big-city atmosphere and the constant presence of a very annoying, intolerant daughter-in-law. Carrie believes she hates her and she's probably close to being right.
Ludie is a sweet, sensitive, but somewhat weak man, who is torn between his love for his mother and his obligations to his wife. Jessie Mae leads a rather vacuous life and her frustrations are frequently taken out on Ludie or Carrie.
She has been beset by the problem of a husband who was sick and unable to work for two years, an apparent inability to have children, poverty, a live-in mother-in-law and a general lack of ingenuity and adaptability.
Her idea of happiness is to have her hair done, read a movie magazine or go down to the corner drugstore to buy several Cokes. Creativity is not her middle name. She is not a bad person, but just a very limited one.
As the story proceeds, Carrie finally manages to escape with her pension check to pursue her dream to return to Bountiful. Meanwhile, Ludie, Jessie Mae and the local sheriff are soon hot on her trail.
Along Carrie's journey, she meets a delightful character on the bus named Thelma. Thelma's husband is off to the war, so she is returning to live with her parents while he is away. She is a kind young woman, and the conversation between Thelma and Carrie is one of the more memorable scenes in the play. Carrie shares some very private thoughts with Thelma, probably because she is willing to listen. Maura Atwood is innocent and receptive in her role as Thelma, but she is a bit hard to hear at times.
The story pulls us in. We sympathize with all the characters and care about their fates, even Jessie Mae's, though she irritates us often.
Mary Rynders aces the role as the self-centered wife. Jon Baas as Ludie is also very effective as the well-meaning, beleaguered son and husband.
Mary Ellen Atwood (Carrie Watts) is very impressive in this role. We were pulling for her all the way on her journey to Bountiful. Her plea to the sheriff is especially emotional. Jaime Jastrab shatters the stereotype of southern sheriffs, which is refreshing.
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