Heather Marie Roberts and Devon Michaels (Photo by Julio Javier Vargas)
Reviewed by Martίn Hernández
Stella Adler Theatre
Through October 6
RECOMMENDED
A father’s unconventional mourning practice over a lost daughter. Two siblings’ questioning the other’s memory of their deceased brother. Bipolar Disorder anthropomorphized by two clowns. These are just a few of the scenarios depicted in this quintet of compelling short plays dealing with suicide. Bittersweet, tense, and even silly, each piece offers cogent insights into why one might take that way out as well as tactics to deal with its aftermath and its prevention.
In Michael P Adams’s Happy Merry, directed by Kelly O’Malley, Ezra (Devon Michaels) and his very pregnant spouse Nell (Heather Marie Roberts) are driving to his Mom’s (Bonnie McNeil) house for Christmas. When Mom calls Ezra about the surprise emotional breakdown of his sister, a stressful three-way debate ensues, dredging up long simmering family resentments. What might sink an already precarious holiday dinner, however, might also lead to self-discovery.
Following his daughter Cece’s suicide, Clarence (Dan Martin) goes to great lengths to keep her memory alive in Camille Simone Thomas’s cece, or every grief but the kitchen sink, directed by Ale Fips. While cleaning Cece’s apartment, he is joined by another daughter, Clara (Danielle Samar McPhaul), who tries to dissuade Clarence from the grieving process that is driving him away from his family. Will their battle result in self-healing for them both or in further domestic division?
What We Left In The Forest, written by Joanna Truman and directed by Fips, presents the shattered childhood of Leah (Alycia Conrad) and older brother Michael (Jake Montgomery), who are commemorating another year since their younger brother David’s premature death. Whereas Michael was a teenager when that happened, Leah was younger and David younger still. The now adult siblings’ trauma is still raw after so many years and when Michale reveals what may have been the real cause of David’s death, Leah’s long-held illusions are shattered.
In Ed Valentine’s endearingly absurdist The Daffodils, directed by Darell Larson, a somber black-clad clown, Bobo (Carlo Figlio), demurs when his friend Feathers (Caitlin Duffy), a fellow fool festooned in outlandishly colorful trappings, arrives to cheer up him. What worries Feathers most is what is in mysterious cup that Bobo holds, and she tries every whimsical way to relieve him of it. As she continues her efforts, the two strike a tenuous balance that may relieve Bobo— at least for now — of his despair.
A ghost hunting trip gets turned on its head in Aly Kantor’s The Psychopomp, directed by Steven J. Bridgeman. Christine (Shannon Creedon Axtell) has wrangled her sympathetic friend Bethany (O’Malley) to help her track down a legendary specter who haunts a lonely highway. As they wait in the car, Christine describes the spirit’s life in an overly agitated manner, leading Bethany to feel there is more to the ghost’s story than Christine is revealing.
This annual short play series is presented by A Light in Dark Places, a non-profit that uses performing arts to promote healthy discussions on suicide. There is also a post-show Q & A with a mental health professional and a reception for those wishing to engage in further dialogue. The dramatic talent displayed by the writers, cast, directors, et al, demonstrate a heartfelt respect for the subject matter that could serve as an example for many of us.
Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 7 pm; thru Oct. 6. Running time: 70 minutes. www.alightindarkplaces.org.
