Thoughtful Boys at The Barn

The Boys Next Door are not boys at all, except in the developmental sense. Take Arnold, for one. Arnold is nervous from his extravagant shopping trip, but then, Arnold gets nervous a lot. Lucien, his roommate, rejoices in a new library card with his name on it; he has already checked out several old yearbooks from the Dept. of Agriculture. Norman and Barry, two more housemates, are behaving suspiciously. Norman is hiding a boxy shape under his shirt, and Barry is offering golf lessons to a neighbor. The big question is for all is, will Jack be mad?

Jack is the social worker who supervises their group home. Though kind and even affectionate to the “boys,” Jack tells the audience that he’s getting burnt out on this job because “They never change.” So Arnold will now have to return all his purchases to Livingston’s Market because he’s already been told that Livingston’s “takes advantage.” Lucien, who -- in a later, remarkable monologue -- assesses his own mental capacity at “between five years old and an oyster” will use his library books as furniture. Norman, who has achieved a job in a donut shop, is putting on far too much weight from the store’s product. And Barry, the most seriously ill among them, won’t abandon his protective armor of golf pro.

There is humor in this play, but The Boys Next Door does not take cheap shots for laughs. Tom Griffin’s 1987 play treats his characters with a full count of humanity, and The Boys’ director, Kim Bromley, has kept this Ross Valley Players’ production consistent with the time it was written. That’s important, says Bromley, because “retarded” has since become a pejorative term, but in its original meaning, “slowed, hindered, impaired,” the word can be applied to all the play’s characters, even Jack, about whom we know little.

The time-appropriate set with its ‘80s décor and furnishings was designed by RVP veteran designer, Ken Rowland, who now submits his designs from North Carolina. Billie Cox has assembled “oldies” musical intervals, Michael Berg designed the costumes, and Linda Dunn found or invented suitable props. (Watch what comes out of the shopping bags.)

There are some wonderful scenes in this production. A nighttime rat hunt with flashlights is almost too realistic. An arranged dance with residents of a women’s group home, ends in a fine, romantic flourish. Lucien’s hearing at Health and Human Services, for which he has costumed carefully, reveals his integral dignity.

Their story is, as the play says, “all about behavior patterns.”

The actors present a fine piece of ensemble work. Wendell Wilson’s Lucien is both tender and vulnerable. David Yen plays the nervous, obsessive Arnold. Brook Robinson is Barry, the fantasy golf pro, with Josh List as the sweetly innocent donut aficionado, Norman. Jack, their tightly-controlled supervisor, is played by Timothy Beagley. Rod Bogart takes on three roles as other male characters, and Jeff Garrett portrays the menacing Mr. Klemper, Barry’s father.

Monique Sims of Tiburon is Sheila, Norman’s love interest. (Norman’s lavishly-decorated birthday present contains just what Sheila’s always wanted.) Candace Brown plays The Boys’ three other female characters.

The Boys Next Door will be at The Barn Theatre in the Marin Art & Garden Center in Ross through April 18. Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15 to $25. For reservations, call 456-9555 or see www.rossvalleyplayers.com.