Music from the 1930s played while people filled the Southside Theatre this past Saturday night, November 23rd, to watch “Brighton Beach Memoirs” by Neil Simon. After a while, the lights faded out and the audience became quiet.

The theatre was almost completely filled.

On stage, a living room with a dining table and two attached rooms in the back upstairs became visible. On the left side was Dan Ahl as Eugene Morris Jerome, the boy that lives in a dream–in his own world where he wants to become a Yankees baseball player; Eugene dreams of seeing his cousin Nora naked for just two and a half seconds. In journal format, Eugene tells the story of his large family trying to live in one house with domestic problems while their relatives are having trouble in Europe; the audience perceives the play through the point of view of just Eugene.
The family consists of Kate Jerome and her husband Jack, played by Kelly Lozo and Anthony Forte, with their two children Stanley and Eugene–Elias Kotsis and Dan Ahl–, Kate’s sister Blanche, Jessica Fisher, and her two children Nora and Laurie, Tara Kinsella and Laura Dioro.

Blanche Morton is a very timorous, neurotic woman that lost her husband a few years ago. She and her two daughters Laurie, who is told to have a heart flatter and is never allowed to run, and Nora, who lives in a Broadway glitter dream,  had to move to Blanche’s sister’s house, Kate, where the family endures internal strife. They have to deal with Eugene’s immature games, Stanley’s personal issues, Jack’s health, and Kate’s constant battle to avoid complicated conflicts.

But Blanche’s stay in the house yields economic difficulties; coupled with Nora’s outlandish dreams and Eugene’s silly antics, the financial conundrum precipitates a fight that almost causes the family to collapse. Stanley runs away to the Army to get more money for the family, Nora indulges in secretive activities every night and Kate and Blanche become entangled in sibling rivalry.
But in the end, the family comes back together and the status quo is upheld. Jack recovers from his previous heart attack in the subway in New York City and Nora realizes the impracticality of attaining stardom at sixteen and a half years of age.

The tense moments through the play reflect the tense situations that plagued Europe and America before WWII; nevertheless, Neil Simon balances poignant realism with humor, effectively creating a touching story that depicts the joys and sorrows of the time period.

In the leading role, Dan masterfully guided his way through the play and provided a strong narration. Kelly and Jessica kept the audience enthralled the whole night and creative a funny yet thought-provoking evening. Anthony, Tara, Elias and Laura exhibited theatrical prowess, making the night a wonderful experience.

The play was not only a success for the actors but also for the director, Mr. Steven Koumoulis, His guidance and leadership aided South’s actors on their journey to portray “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” proving once again that “We know drama!”