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Bringing a boy home to meet your family is never easy but when your family is as eccentric as the Sycamores, it makes for an outrageous and enlightening evening. Pattonville High School’s production of You Can’t Take it With You kept audiences laughing as well as bestowing upon them a priceless lesson: there are more important things in life than work and money.

You Can’t Take It With You was written by George Kaufman and Moss Hart and debuted in 1936. Winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1937, the script has been adapted into two movies. Written in three acts, the classic comedy is a must see for any theatre lover.

As we first meet the Sycamores, they seem like they could be a normal family, sure they have their quirks, but who doesn’t. But as the fireworks explode, the IRS appears, and the youngest daughter unskillfully prances around the living room, we realize the family is just plain wacky. That is except for the oldest daughter, Alice. Alice (Kaitlin Grant) is the ideal young lady, and she finds the ideal young man, Tony (Aaron Landgraf). The two actors had the kind of chemistry which makes you hope they’ll end up together.

To lighten the mood, Mr. DePinna was always able to deliver his lines in a way that made the audience laugh and Ed’s confused expressions and silly antics were always fun to watch. The grandfather’s (Jacob Painter) outlook on life was delivered convincingly, and brought meaning to the madness. Between the random Russian dance teacher who showed up, his friend the Duchess, and the drunk actress there was seldom a dull moment. The drunken actress (Megan Willingham) delivered memorable lines and was really able to create a character for herself within the little time she appeared on stage and wasn’t passed out.

Hair, costume, and make-up were all simple yet effective and period. Lights went without any noticeable glitches and the sound, which was strong for the majority of the show, was at times too loud. The attention to detail was magnificent, the plethora of props were right for the time, they had a working typewriter as well as a xylophone on stage. The house which hosted all of this was large enough to cover their huge stage, appeared well constructed while being an attractive set.

Pattonville High School’s production was a night full of surprises, laughter, and morals.

by Jennifer Boston of McCluer High School