I’ve often wondered about the predisposition of reviewers who say bad things about a show that I liked. Was he having a bad day? Or is he just a miserable jerk who empowers himself by shredding others? What ever the answer I promised myself I would never allow myself to let personal baggage get in the way of a review. That’s why after the week I’d been having I thought maybe I should wait until maybe next week before reviewing Over the River and Through the Woods.

On their web site, Powerhouse has billed Joe DiPietro’s play as a delightful comedy and I really needed a good laugh. So against my addendum riddled judgment, I picked myself up and headed to Vernon. I’m glad I did. My first visit to the Powerhouse Theatre was a memorable one and I got a lot more out of this engaging story than just a few good laughs.

There was no curtain so as I took my seat I had plenty of time before the show to take in the set. It is the living room, dining room and side porch of Grandma’s house, hence the title of the play. The attention to detail and the overall look was masterful. Just like my own parent’s home, this set looked lived-in and like it had been there forever. For me it was a nice surprise but for regular theatre goers in Vernon, it’s what they’ve come to expect. After all, the Powerhouse Theatre is no fly by night operation. This play house has been around for forty six years!

DiPietro has written some fifteen plays thus far including an Edgar Award winning, The Art of Murder and the recent Broadway Musical, All Shook Up. I think of all his plays and this earlier one probably hits closest to home, or grandma’s home if you’ll pardon the pun.

The plot revolves around a young man named Nick and his relationship with his four Catholic, Italian grandparents. The story begins with Nicky telling them all the exciting news that he’s been giving a big promotion and will be moving to the other side of the country. This is not good news to the grandparents. Nicky is all the family they have left and they want him to stay. I can’t say anything else without spoiling it.

It’s a small, intimate cast that exudes dedication and professionalism. I don’t want to single out anyone in particular for fear of diminishing the performance of another. It is an ensemble piece and as such each character was a piece of a tapestry. One doesn’t marvel at one single piece of a tapestry, it’s the intricate interweaving of the tapestry as a whole that creates the desired affect. And the desired affect is that of reverently standing back in awe and admiration while at the same time being compelled to take hold and wrap yourself up in it. Bron Johnson, Manfred Taron, Maureen Ruscheinsky, Dave Sayer, Jean Given and Leah Goldie achieved the desired affect… seamlessly!

I live some three thousand miles from my parents and so this story although comical also had me feeling terribly home sick. The first thing I’m going to do tomorrow morning is call my mom and dad, something I should probably do more often. Suffice to say that I related big time to Nick. I understand what it is to be torn between love and devotion to ones family and the insatiable desire to go out and see the world and all it has to offer. And I saw in the four grandparents all the quirks and eccentricities that drove me nuts when it came to my own parents. Yet as I watched this simple tale those same things that made me want to pull out my hair when I was younger, gave me pause for a nostalgic smile and lump in my throat. Ah, I needed that.