Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Bubba Weiler’s WELL, I’LL LET YOU GO is gorgeously remounted, its aching vulnerability fully intact

• By drediman
• May 15, 2026
• No Comments

One of the finest new plays to emerge over the last year or so is Bubba Weiler’s astutely human and surprisingly funny Well, I’ll Let You Go, which has been gorgeously remounted in Midtown’s bustling theater district by Studio Seaview, thankfully with its aching vulnerability fully intact. Set in a small Midwest town, the play finds Maggie reeling from the recent unfortunate murder of her husband Marv under suspicious circumstances. Over a series of keenly observed scenes — largely one-on-one interactions between Maggie and various visitors seeking to comfort her — our bruised and grappling middle-aged heroine slowly pieces together the mystery of her husband’s death. The proceedings are overseen by a narrator — much like the Stage Manager does in Thornton Wilder’s classic Our Town — who not only sets each scene, but also provides insight into each character’s inner thoughts.

Despite its deceptively simple structure, Well, I’ll Let You Go is nevertheless an exquisitely nuanced piece about the nature of and the process of dealing with loss and grief, particularly when the one you’ve lost is more of an enigma in death than in life. The play is also a potent depiction of doubt and how it can permeate and cloud one’s overarching sense of the world. As Maggie struggles to make heads or tails of life after the dust has settled, she’s put through the wringer — by extension, as is the audience — as dark thoughts infiltrate her already fragile state of mind, thereby tarnishing her relationships with friends, family, and members of the community. The play has been insightfully directed by Jack Serio, who in recent years has made a name for himself for his stylish yet emotionally potent productions; he even gives a clever nod to Wilder’s seminal play by way of David Cromer’s unforgettable theatrical coup in his unforgettable revival of Our Town (no spoilers here!).

The current production features a series of immaculate performances from a cast of rather accomplished stage actors. In the central role of Maggie, the extraordinary Quincy Tyler Bernstine continues to give a milestone performance — in a distinguished career that seems chock full of memorable performances — that fearlessly digs into the character’s knotted psyche as she faces the abyss of despair that stands before her. In the only shift in casting, the role of the narrator is now played by Matthew Maher (replacing Michael Chernus), who charges the piece with his own distinctive brand of clarity and quiet compassion. The rest of the cast — including terrifically idiosyncratic performers like Constance Shulman as a fussy funeral director and Will Dagger as an unstable cousin — flesh out their characters with great care, unlocking the full breadth of their humanity.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WELL, I’LL LET YOU GO
Off-Broadway, Play
Studio Seaview
1 hour, 50 minutes (without an intermission)
Through June 20