Seattle Press on Line - Nickel and Dimed

Arts

Nickel and Dimed

By Abby Freedman

Aug 15, 2002 -- I encountered Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America in a feature-writing class. We were given excerpts from Ehrenreich's book as an example of true investigative journalism. In reading of her life as a waitress--and, more importantly, the lives of her coworkers to whom this life was ordinary--I was aghast. Yes, it shocked my middle-class sentimentalities. Of course, I knew that this sort of life existed, in fact my mother was perilously close to being broke. But whereas she was lucky to get a job as a clerk at a city paper and ultimately worked her way up to being a writer (though her marriage also helped her finances), these people had no real hope of rising through the ranks. While my mother had family who would help out when they could, these people lived in expensive motels that charged by the week because they couldn't save up for a deposit on an apartment or trailer. So I was understandably intrigued by a play that put this book into action for the masses to see.

Perhaps one of the greatest feats of this play is that it absolutely captures the atmosphere in the kitchen of a restaurant. The frenzy, the confusion--all is set up on the stage in the opening minutes. The work follows Ehrenreich through three cities and several jobs. Set against the background of the new welfare reform of the '90s, the goal is to keep her work for one month and be able to afford a place to live and food. The results are dubious at best, frightening at worst.

Joan Holden, the playwright who adapted the book for the stage, is an excellent writer. She has imbued the scenes with a good pace. The lines are quick and witty, the dialogues believable and easy to follow. Holden imbued the piece with more humor than Ehrenreich put in, which is both good and bad. Ehrenreich's work had the staccato reporting of, well, a journalist. But this patter lends itself to a sort of weariness befitting the subject matter. Her encounters are told in a manner that belies her two jobs and 14 - 16 hour workdays. The levity makes for a better play, though as it lets the scenes flow smoothly and keeps the attention spans of the audience members.

The cast itself is also excellent. Sharon Lockwood as Ehrenreich is personable and endears herself to the audience with her witty observations and wry delivery. But her supporting cast, each of whom play several roles, should not be left out of this appreciative review. Each was amazingly versatile, going from, say, her publisher to a Polish immigrant who barely speaks English or from an aging maid to a chipper, if meek, "Malmart" employee who has recently found Jesus. They are each wonderful and the play's quality would certainly have suffered if a single one of them hadn't been as talented as they are. What's more, it is hard to sympathize with Lockwood's character because she is an outsider, an observer. Her trial will soon be over. Each of her colleagues, however, is a lifer in this minimum-wage system. Many audience members will probably feel the same urge that I did to reach in their pockets and give the actors a bit of monetary support. These feelings have cleverly been anticipated and the programs list different social services and charities.

The only factor that detracted from my enjoyment of the play was, as the cast took a bow, looking around the room. Here were a couple hundred people who had just paid $35.50 to watch a show about the hardship of life outside the audience's class. The irony made me acutely uncomfortable, even though I hadn't paid that sum. I still felt indulgent and frivolous--a sentiment that I hope sticks with many of those audience members long enough for them to write checks to some of those organizations. I know it will stick with me.

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Lion Kimbro	Aug 23, 2002	Seattle, WA	Unemployed
I agree; I wanted to see the play, but... $35.50? To watch a play about poverty? It felt a tad expensive to me. The good thing is that those who can afford it are the people who most need to know this kind of thing. The artists could probably use the money as well.


Christa	Sep 09, 2002	Ohio	student
From the Intiman's homepage, I was under the impression that ticket sales were dependent on the income of each audience member? If not, perhaps in the future such a wage related sale might enhance the overall effect of the show!


Ted	Oct 23, 2002	California	Parent
I was wondering at which age is this play appropriate for? It might be a good one for my kids (11 - 13).