NATIVE GARDENS: LESSONS IN BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR

REVIEW: NATIVE GARDENS

BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO

Karen Zacarías’ new comedy Native Gardens, now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse, is the perfect fit for this city’s perfectly tailored green lawns and gardening lifestyle that includes the celebrated Tournament of Roses Parade. The play directed by Jason Alexander proves that just how challenging it can be to share a property line, and the what it truly means to be a good neighbor. Zacarías adeptly infuses issues of ageism, taste, race, and class into this brisk comedy that can’t help but remind us of an elevated episode of I Love Lucy.

(L-R): Bruce Davison, Frances Fisher, Jessica Meraz, and Christian Barillas in Native Gardens at Pasadena Playhouse. Photo by Jenny Graham

The story here is simple: Pablo, a high-powered lawyer, and doctoral candidate Tania, his very pregnant wife purchases a house next door to community stalwarts Virginia and Frank. Soon a disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out war of taste, class, privilege, and entitlement. As the main dilemma heightens so do the stylistic qualities of all the characters—we see these people for who they really are, and it’s hilarious perhaps because we also see ourselves in these people. In the course of the play the audience will find itself wondering what they would do in that situation and perhaps even be compelled to take sides with one of the couples.

To tell this story bright lights, big personalities and an exquisite garden fill the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse with television and stage actor Jason Alexander at the helm. Alexander proves to be right person to bring out all the comedic elements in Zacarías’ play while also highlighting the sociopolitical issues that are at its core.

Frances Fisher and Jessica Meraz in Native Gardens at Pasadena Playhouse. Photo by Jenny Graham

From the onset characters and style are clear, audiences can relax because it’s a light comedy, however, once the audience are comfortable the topic of a native garden (a garden filled with plants that occur naturally in a region which they evolved) versus exotic gardens (a garden with plants alien to the region) surfaces. It is through this horticulture issue that terms such as “immigrant plants”, “colonist plants” and “botanical xenophobia” emerge thus unraveling the grand analogy that holds the play together.

One of Alexander’s most clever devices is his use of three non-speaking characters that represent the surveyor, landscapers, and building examiner. Upon all their entrances they enter dancing to up-beat Latin music always closing with a visually clever way to show audiences the day of the week and time of day—each entrance is a treat that compliments the atmosphere of the play.

(L-R) Richard Biglia, Julian Armaya, and Bradley Roa II as the Gardeners in Native Gardens at Pasadena Playhouse. Photo by Jenny Graham

The ensemble of actors in Native Gardens are a group of seasoned actors all with television experience that lends itself to the pace and scene by scene style of the play. The relationship of the two female characters Frances Fisher (Virginia) and Jessica Meraz (Tania) command the audience’s attention more so than their male counterparts in a way that’s completely authentic.

Meraz rides a fine line between being diplomatic and letting her pregnancy hormones and Latina passion loose to communicate how she’s actually feeling. Fisher has no problem expressing how she’s really feeling, by the play’s climax she’s a fireball burning with comedic frenzy. Bruce Davison (Frank) and Christian Barillas (Pablo) follow suit with their own manic tantrums, but it’s the women who are taking care of the men.

As summer fades into fall Native Gardens is the play for this moment, it wizzes by in 90-minutes full of laughter, intrigue and lessons about living peacefully in our diverse world.

TICKETS AND MORE INFO:

Venue: Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101

Dates: September 5 through 30; press opening Sunday, September 9 at 5:00 p.m.

Tuesdays (September 11 and September 25 only) at 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m; Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: Prices start at $25

Online — PasadenaPlayhouse.org
Phone — 626-356-7529
In person — Pasadena Playhouse Box Office,
Address — 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101