“A WHOLE lot of people crammed into the one house – it couldn’t be more relevant,” director Karen Vickery says of “Brighton Beach Memoirs”, the feel-good play she is about to stage.

Neil Simon’s family comedy, originally scheduled for performance in April and May, fell victim to the coronavirus, forcing the Canberra Rep to rejig dates and drop at least one play, so July 31 for its first live opening isn’t too bad.

“The decision to present the play as part of Canberra Rep’s subscription season was made long before COVID-19 was identified,” Vickery says. “And it’s perfect for Rep, where you really need good, strong writing, something to develop.” 

Set in 1937 in the Depression-era leading up to World War II, the semi-autobiographical play is part of a trilogy of works by Simon, who died in late 2018, centred on 13-year-old Eugene Jerome. The other plays are “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound”. 

In Vickery’s view, “Brighton Beach Memoirs” could be regarded as “historical” if it weren’t so timeless and relevant.

The action is narrated directly to the audience by Eugene, who dreams of baseball and girls while coping with the humdrum existence of Jewish-American family life in Brighton Beach, a suburb of Brooklyn that was to become famous through this play.

They’re all there – the intimidating mother, the downtrodden and overworked father, his uncle Stanley, widowed Aunt Blanche and her two young rapidly maturing daughters, his cousins.

Vickery’s own Russian family background presented her with the opportunity to explore a suburban enclave still known for its unique Slavic and Jewish culture, and it was irresistible.

“I was interested to explore the play’s historical context with the Slavic culture and all the Jewish people going to the temple,” she says, telling me she had consulted a rabbi in Canberra to make sure that she gets it right.

With historical attention to detail in mind, she secured Academy Award nominee and AFI winner Anna Senior to design the costumes, and says: “Anna can make nothing look like something fantastic.” 

With COVID-19 fitting affecting Canberra Rep as much as any company, she’s aware of the need to be frugal, though Rep hasn’t said a word.

Veteran director and designer Chris Baldock has come on board to design the set and they’ve been talking about Vickery’s idea to make it seem only partially realistic or half-finished, as if it were a memory. US designer Jo Mielziner’s famous set and lighting for “Death of a Salesman” immediately springs to mind to both of us. 

Casting young people never seems to be a problem for Rep. Year 12 chemistry whizkid Jamie Boyd, who played alongside Vickery in Baldock’s production of “The Grapes of Wrath” in February, plays Eugene and Ella Buckley plays Eugene’s teen cousin, Laurie. 

Vickery has directed prize-winning productions with Everyman and Pigeonhole theatres and performed five acting roles with Canberra Rep, but this is her Rep debut as a director. 

“This is the perfect play for the moment,” she says. “It’s warm and loving and heartfelt, but at the same time a powerful family drama, a coming-of-age play where the younger generation is finding its way against more traditional views of parents needing to come to terms with children about to fly the coop.”

“Brighton Beach Memoirs”, Canberra Rep Theatre, Acton, July 30 (preview) to August 15. Limited seating. Book at canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.