IVRT’s “Fun Home”

My name is Natalie Webber and I have been enjoying IVRT performances at least since they did “Mame” at the La Verne University years ago. Last September I attended the regional premiere of the award-winning musical, Fun Home. I thought Fun Home was quite a different story than IVRT has ever produced, and I wanted to share my thoughts.

·      I think placing three different actors on stage at the same time representing three different stages of Alison’s life was very Imaginative. It made me understand the story better. 

·      The story touched on Alison’s conflict, but it could have gone deeper into why she was so hesitant and why being gay was so taboo.

·      Alison needs acceptance from her family, but eventually had to give up on that. It was hard to watch when she brought Joan home to meet her parents, who were so cold to her and did not accept her lover.

·      Bruce was conflicted in his life, pretending he was not gay, with a wife and children. He couldn’t desert them, so he lived a double life, that became impossible. Actor John Lalonde expressed Bruce’s torment powerfully in the song, “Edges of the World.”

·      This play really made me realize the difference between Bruce’s time in the 50’s, when he had to hide being gay, and Alison’s time, in the 70’s, when she was free to choose whether or not to be open about who she truly is.