Theatre on the Square

The Marriage of Marcus Tyler
Putting the “fun” in “dysfunctional”

by Laura Kruty

If you ever needed consolation that your family isn’t quite as crazy and obnoxious as you think, go see The Marriage of Marcus Tyler at Theatre on the Square.

The first act begins with the audience meeting the Tylers: mom Vicki, dad Donald, 16-year-old daughter Allison and 27-year-old oldest child Andrew, who acts as a sort of narrator throughout the show. There’s a sense of anticipation in the air as the family prepares to meet their younger son Marcus’ fiancee, Julie, for the first time.

There’s also a lot of bickering –– between Vicki and Andrew, Vicki and Donald, and Andrew and Allison. In fact, it also becomes too much, as what starts out as a simple argument often evolves into full-on yelling and screaming. Vicki seems especially annoyed with Andrew, who still lives at home and has been in college for nine years. It’s easy to see why: My guest and I often felt like punching Andrew to put an end to the smug, incessant — and sometimes unfunny — comments. He just doesn’t know when to stop, egging Vicki and Allison on until they reach a breaking point.

Julie, a sweet-looking blonde, arrives at the Tyler home, without
Marcus, who got held up for what is assumed work reasons. She quickly becomes uncomfortable around the Tylers, who continue their arguing and yelling and don’t do much to make their son’s future wife feel at home.

The second act begins with the arrival of Vicki’s parents, Jerome and
Alice Goodwin. Not coincidentally, it’s also an act full of laughs. In fact, we probably didn’t stop laughing until the end of the show. The grandparents are quite stereotypical. Jerome likes to tell war stories and is ripe with health problems. Alice is full of gossip about old family acquaintances and has to be told to open the shutter before taking a family picture. She also immediately thinks Julie is the Puerto Rican family “help.”

Marcus makes his first appearance shortly before the end of the show, stumbling inside after Andrew accidentally shoots him with Jerome’s gun. It wasn’t clear to me why the family — except Julie — brushed off the injury, not taking Marcus to the hospital right away. Instead, Andrew and Marcus talk together at the kitchen table, and we learn why Andrew is a class-A jerk toward Julie.

Overall, while the first act moves a bit slowly and is nearly headache-inducing with all its screaming and yelling, the second act is hilarious and has the audience in fits the entire time. You might even appreciate your family a little bit more afterward.

Warning: Though The Marriage of Marcus Tyler is full of laughs, it’s also peppered with the occasional four-letter word, so make it an adults-only evening.

The show runs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 28. Tickets are $25 adults, $20 students and guests 62 and older. Call (317) 685-8687 or log on www.tots.org.

Tags: Arts, Theatre on the Square, The Marriage of Marcus Tyler