Director Carole Kleinberg makes all the right choices interpreting a script that could have focused us to "look on the sunny side" and "moon over an adorable guy with a handicap." Instead of coming over as a story of a dying mother trying to get her mentally challenged son a keeper for when she's gone, the Banyan production of Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun centers on a choice that must be made by a young single mother.
It helps that Katherine Michelle Tanner as Holly exhibits intelligence and (give or take an understandable nail-bite or two) emotional strength throughout. With her recent education degree but only an unrelated retail job in Ontario, Holly is pregnant by her English professor and determined to have her baby. Involved in an acrimonious divorce, Simon can think only of "how difficult" his position is. (His wife's family is his U.'s big benefactor.)
After dismissing selfish Simon (handsome Wayne LeGette, crisply smug), on her way to work tearful Holly meets Robert Castle, middle-aged but mentally eight. Friendly, inquisitive, garrulous, he (Robert David May, strikingly natural, keeping his character's quirks on the winning edge of control) initiates a mutually sympathetic friendship wih Holly. Happily, humor dominates pathos in scenes to follow.
Holly seems the answer to the prayers of Robert's long overprotective mother Claire. Afflicted with cancer and congestive heart failure, she (affecting Karel K. Wright) wants to make sure "God's plan" for her son agrees with hers. Luckily, she has rooms once let to boarders. With bargain rent, she lures Holly, who must save money for the baby.
All goes well until after baby has come. Simon returns from Hallifax to offer Holly assurance of a teaching job, a place in his home for her and his son, and the probability of marriage. Since Robert's own father left, he has believed "everything in life leads to good-bye." Will that be true for him once again?
Director Kleinberg deserves additional credit for her casting, from the no-nonsense Holly of Tanner to the realistic Castles' doctor of Dan Higgs. Especially effective technically are the many, varied musical bridges between scenes and suggestive designs of seasons projected as background. Costumes establish those in addition to characterizations.
The title comes from a sampler the Castles quote every day. It expresses feelings of warmth and protective care. Like what fans of The Banyan feel toward the theater company. With good reason.
