Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – David Rabe’s VISITING EDNA at Chicago’s Steppenwolf is flawed but deeply unsettling

• By drediman
• October 13, 2016
• No Comments

Debra Monk and Ian Barford in “Visiting Edna” at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

If there’s a poster child for Chicago theater, I would argue it’s the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The company’s brand of theater is ensemble-based and embraces bold, in-your-face acting style and storytelling. These are qualities I would argue that also characterize Chicago theater at large. This tradition continues with the Steppenwolf’s current mainstage production, the world premiere of renowned playwright David Rabe’s play Visiting Edna.

Mr. Rabe’s new play, a slow-burner, is a difficult one. It tells the story of the increasingly, yet subtly, strained relationship between a Edna, who has been diagnosed with cancer and whose life is coming to a close, and her son Andrew. It’s a play about the process of dying and letting go, as well as a deep examination of human (particularly familial) relationships – their futility, as well as their necessity – in relation to our internal lives. Despite the quietly gut-wrenching and deeply unsettling impact the play had on me, I had some qualms. I question the somewhat silly decision to populate the play with inanimate characters (i.e., the television, Edna’s cancer); Beauty and the Beast this ain’t. The play would work better if it unfolded in less of an overtly theatrical, satirical manner. Also, the second act could use some trimming to make a more incisive visceral impact.

The production is directed by artistic director Anna D. Shapiro with an elegant matter-of-factness that suits Mr. Rabe’s play well. David Zinn’s scenic design is both naturalistic and poetically expansive, which again artfully suits Mr. Rabe’s play. The acting is brilliant across the board, as expected. Debra Monk and Ian Barford as Edna and Andrew, respectively, get under your skin slowly over the course of the play with their nuanced acting and are ultimately devastating in their roles – high praise, indeed. Veteran ensemble members Sally Murphy and Tim Hopper excel in the thankless “inanimate” roles.

RECOMMENDED

VISITING EDNA
Regional, Play
Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)
2 hours, 40 minutes (with one intermission)
Through November 6