In my review of Harlequin's pyrotechnic April show, boom, I said I enjoyed the script but wasn't sure who else would. Now director Scot Whitney brings us what has been described as the reverse of that prediction, by no less vested an observer than the playwright himself. In his notes to the published edition of Unexpected Tenderness, Israel Horovitz wrote, "It is ... that thing that audiences love and critics seem to loathe: a memory play." Intrigued by this remark, I found Ben Brantley's original, 1994 review of Unexpected Tenderness for the New York Times. "You may find yourself counting the scenes and devices," Brantley groused, "that have been used before to more evocative effect." Well, sir, I think that's something Ben Brantley might do, but not your average audience member. Personally, I found the play impossible to loathe, and easy to enjoy.

See, I'm a sucker for stories about fathers and sons. My dad and I went from not speaking to each other for eight years to an irreverent long-distance friendship, and I know the time-release favors a father can do by not being perfect. The father in this play, Archie Stern, is far from perfect. As played by Jason Haws, he's a raw nerve subject to violent mood swings and paranoid delusions. He's also the type of guy who dances with his wife by the kitchen sink after the kids have gone to bed.

Haws is one of Olympia's favorite actors, and for good reason - but something felt off for me on opening night. I think his quiet moments worked better than his furious climaxes. Perhaps those moments are too rushed in the script; I'm not sure. I do think Haws was effective at delineating Archie from an adult incarnation of Archie's son, Roddy, without so much as a costume change or physical tic to mark the transition. Jackson Jones provides Roddy with much-needed precocity.

If nothing else worked, I'd still recommend the show for David Wright's gobsmacking performance as Archie's elderly father, Grandpa Jacob. My great-uncle Otie had Parkinson's, and Mr. Wright is spot-on. I'll be stunned if it isn't one of the best performances I see all year. Walayn Sharples also has a lovely scene with Roddy as Grandma Haddie. In fact, the entire supporting cast is strong, including Aaron Hobbs as Archie's lecherous coworker. Several performers are making their Harlequin debuts, but remember their faces. They'll be back.

It's often hard to tell good stage management from great, and it's likewise difficult to tell when "bad stage management" is actually the result of poor direction or design. For that reason, I seldom mention stage managers in my reviews. It's not remotely fair, of course, but that's the drag of being theater's least understood  and most underappreciated professional. I can tell you, however, that SM Kate Arvin deserves special recognition for conducting an impeccable show. This show may not have the explosive razzle-dazzle of boom or The Last Schwartz, but its subtle cues are timed to the heartbeat. Watch those multiple lamps; they're the lights of a childhood memory.

At the risk of cursing Harlequin Productions, I almost hope they drop the ball soon. It's starting to look like they bribe me for positive reviews. The truth is, this has been an excellent season for Olympia's professional theaters, and a ticket to one of those houses is worth more than what it costs. That really puts the pressure on smaller companies, who can no longer claim they're the insider's alternative to expensive, bloated pabulum.

Unexpected Tenderness

through May 28, 8 p.m. Thursday–Saturday
2 p.m. Sunday, $28–$31
Harlequin Productions, 202 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia
360.786.0151