POWERFUL PERFORMANCES IN POWERFUL PLAY

F. J. Hartland

Thelma is a widow who lives with her divorced daughter Jesse, an epileptic with a wayward son.

Jesse finishes the laundry while Thelma snacks on junk food, waiting for her weekly manicure.  All in all, it’s a typical Saturday night for these women.

Typical, that is, until Jessie announces she’s going to kill herself within the hour.‘

night, Mother, Marsha Norman’s Pulitizer Prize-winning drama, is the current offering at Off The Wall Theatre in Washington PA.And it’s terrific.The script has two amazing things going for it. 

First, the women do the most mundane chores while engaged in a life-and-death debate.  Towels are folded, the slip cover is replaced on the sofa, hot cocoa is made…all while the clock ticks away for Jessie. 

Second, the dialogue is so witty, clever and, yes—even downright, laugh-out-loud funny…something you would not expect in a play with such serious subject matter.

Director Maggie Balsley has avoided the trap of turning ‘night, Mother into a “talk-fest.”  Instead she keeps the women busy, wisely reserving stillness for the high emotional moments. Also, Balsley gets top-notch performances from her two actresses.

Virgina Wall Gruenert pulls out all the stops as Thelma, using whatever tactics necessary to keep Jesse alive.  If she doesn’t reduce you to tears before then, the last three minutes are sure to do the trick. She really displays her “acting chops” by showing an incredible range of emotions.

The usually glamorous Elena Alexandratos transforms herself (with the help of costumer Debi Meny) into the frumpy Jessie.  Paradoxically, it is planning her suicide that has given Jessie a purpose to her life.  It’s not that her life is unhappy…or happy…it’s just not.    Like Gruenert, Alexandratos displays a full range of emotions from joy to despair.

The women play off each other extremely well and have developed a true “chemistry” of a real mother/daughter relationship.  Although they are the only two characters in the play, the way they discuss others, you can actually visualize this band of dysfunctional misfits. 

Opening night the cast earned a richly-deserved standing ovation.

Paul A. Shaw’s set is beautifully detailed with a colorful afghan, knick-knacks, a working stove and refrigerator as well as running water.  It is so realistic that you will forget you are watching a play and will believe you are sitting in your grandmother’s cluttered living room.

So pick up a box of tissues on your way to Washington PA.  You’ll be glad you made the trip (and glad you bought the tissues. Trust me–you’ll need them).

‘night, Mother continues at Off The Wall through October 16.