There’s a mother-and-child reunion going on in the North Bay.
When Joy Carlin and Nancy Carlin take the stage this week to co-star in Israel Horovitz’s “My Old Lady” at the Marin Theatre Company, it won’t be the first time mother and daughter acted together. And if they have any say in the matter, it won’t be the last.
“I love working with her,” says Joy Carlin of daughter Nancy. “We’ve played all kinds of relationships. She was my rival having an affair with my husband. I once played her governess. I’m kvelling of course, but we’ve done it so often, I feel we’re simply colleagues.”
This time, Joy plays a 90-year-old French crone. Nancy plays her daughter. Both are roommates in a Paris apartment. When the American landlord shows up to sell the place, he meets the pair as well as a French law that permits tenants to stay until death. “They are not like us,” says Nancy. “They have a harsh relationship.”
The Carlins’ real-life relationship is anything but. Lately, the two have been commuting together from the East Bay to rehearsals in Marin, merrily practicing their French accents on the way.
“We’ve been working with a dialect coach,” says Nancy.
Adds her mother, “The accent is hard. There’s a flavor and rhythm to it.”
Both have enjoyed pinning down the flavor and rhythms of their characters as well.
“I play a person symbolic of the Old Country,” says Joy. “She has had an interesting past: an affair for many years with an American man, and many secrets. She’s rather far from me, but I know women in their 90s who are terrific and spry.”
Nancy was bitten by the acting bug early on — no surprise considering her mother has been a major force in Bay Area theater for years. In fact, Joy Carlin has acted in and directed for every important company in the region, including American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley.
“I just wanted to tag along with her,” recalls Nancy of her childhood growing up with an admired actress for a mother. “She did not push me, but she did encourage me.” Instead of plunging into acting, Nancy majored in literature at Brown University.
“She took my advice,” says Joy. “I always said, ‘Don’t go into acting too early. Get a good education. Live a little.’ It’s a waste of time to major in drama.”
Nancy did go on to earn a master’s of fine arts from ACT before launching her career. She has starred in productions at ACT, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory, the Aurora Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks.
It’s not all about work. The Carlin clan is close, and celebrates the Jewish holidays together. One of Nancy’s daughters has shown interest in acting, too, possibly keeping the family vocation alive for another generation.
“We’ve now had three generations of Jews featured in ‘A Christmas Carol’ at ACT,” Joy says laughing.
As for keeping the lines distinct between parent and child, mentor and student, the Carlins seem to have worked it all out.
“The colleague and mom parts work well because we’re good friends,” says Nancy. “She’s an excellent director and gives good notes. But now we do that for each other.”
“My Old Lady” runs through April 11 at Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave, Mill Valley. Tickets: $28-$45. Information: (415) 388-5208 or www.marintheatre.org.