Come Back to the Five & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean may have been written almost 40 years ago, but it’s surprisingly (and sadly) relevant today. The story of a group of middle-aged women who spark and spar when they reunite to commemorate the death of their teenage idol James Dean touches on timely themes like bullying, intolerance and rape. The story is set in 1975 but contains flashbacks to twenty years earlier. Two of the characters are presented in both their younger and middle-aged versions and often exist on stage at the same time, which appeared to confuse some of the audience. The play itself is short on action and heavy on dialogue, but it contains some memorable characters and plot twists. It’s an ambitious work, still in tune with our times. —Kate Watson