David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2-act play, ‘Rabbit Hole,’ is unlike most of the shows you’d expect to be treated to on a Saturday night.
While so many companies thrive by presenting bawdy, loud comedies or musicals, others have taken a more subtle route. One that makes you actually think about and want to discuss the subject matter of the dialogue from the show for hours afterward.
Global impACTORS’ ‘Rabbit Hole’ is a perfect example of the latter.
Set in the family room/kitchen in the house of married couple Becca (Tesia Nicoli) and Howie (William Alexander,) the play opens with Becca listening to her sister, Izzy (Kelly James,) as she describes a fight she'd got into in a bar. Right from the beginning, we know this family has a story worth hearing.
Most of the first act is devoted to subtly dropping hints about the palpable tension on the stage between the characters. The script takes its time, making sure to build each of the few plot points meticulously, keeping the audience from getting too much information at once. We also meet Becca and Izzy’s mother, Nat (Kathy Patterson,) who we learn has something very much in common with her eldest daughter.
They’d both lost children. Nat lost her son, Arthur, to a drug overdose at the age of 30, while Becca has very recently lost her 4 year old son, Danny, when he’d darted out into the road one day. The dialogue serves the characters well, and as an audience member, it was very interesting to watch mother and daughter figure out how to relate to one another as the time passes.
Becca’s life has become numb since she lost Danny. Her relationship with Howie has become strained, and she finds herself eliminating pieces of Danny from her life. Baby books are removed from the home, baby tapes are accidently erased, and pictures are removed from the walls. Her once-strong marriage is crumbling, and she’s still trying to cope. Things become even more strained when Becca and Howie are contacted by the driver of the truck that killed their son, Jason Willette (Parker Ryan.)
The show reaches a satisfying conclusion, leaving the audience moved and supportive of each character.
If you’re looking for a show with a million zany twists, turns, glitter, and glam, this is not the show for you.
If you're interested in going a bit deeper, this experience is one that should not be missed. This show is about relationships. In a very intriguing way, it manages to explore a hundred different topics in one 2 hour show.
You get to watch a couple who so badly wants to be happy together, but can’t get past the tragic death of their only child, a sister coping with a surprise pregnancy, a mother trying desperately to find the right thing to say to relate to her daughter, and a high school senior dealing with his own set of guilt issues. Watching the interaction between the characters was a real treat, as each cast member gave a believable performance. Each line is meaningful, and very easy to believe.
The set is lovely, the perfect backdrop for the characters to live in. It’s very easy to believe that you just happen to have a window into a fully functioning house of dysfunctional adults, and that you’re just eavesdropping on their every word.
Director Eric D. Hersh has taken a beautifully thoughtful script and breathed some life into it. His lead couple, Nicoli, and Alexander, give deliciously vivid performances as the grieving parents. Will Alexander, who has performed in several shows with Crowded Kitchen Players, plays his character with such believability that his pain is almost tangible. He gave subtle depth to his character, allowing multiple emotions to show at once while keeping himself composed.
Nicoli was a sound match for him, doing a brilliant job of conveying a heartbroken mother while trying to put on a normal face from day to day. She delivered a very well thought-out performance, and it was a treat to watch each interaction she shared with the other characters.
Kathy Patterson, as Nat, delivers some perfectly timed one-liners, keeping the mood from getting too solemn. Her comedic timing was unrivalled in the show, and she really had the audience looking forward to what she was going to say next.
Go see ‘The Rabbit Hole.’ Go see theatre that makes you think. Walk out after this show is over and you’ll have endless conversation topics to tackle based on the relationships and situations in this show. This cast does a lovely job of telling a touching story that will stir you up and make you feel. Great set, clear direction, haunting soundtrack… you can’t lose.
‘Rabbit Hole’ runs June 5 at 8pm and June 6 at 2pm and 7pm. Call 484-891-1314 or visit www.GIGtheater.com for tickets and more information.