Displaying items by tag: Lucas Hnath

Would you be able to spot a person in trouble? Lucas Hnath’s new play “Dana H” is a fascinating look at what the seedy underbelly of America may be (or sound) like. Goodman Theatre gives this unique new drama its Chicago premiere with direction by Les Waters. 

“Dana H” is part documentary, part one-woman show and yet still doesn’t neatly fit into either category. Lucas Hnath is arguably one of the country’s most imaginative playwrights working today.  In this new play he explores the kidnapping and torture of his mother in the late 90s. It’s a period of his mother’s life that they admittedly avoid discussing. In fact, he himself did not conduct the interviews that led to the creation of the play. Through pieced together bits of an extensive interview between the real Dana H (Dana Higgenbotham) and Steven Cosson, a true story of harrowing survival and compassion unfolds. 

Deirdre O’Connell portrays Dana in a way never-before seen in mainstream theatre. Most actors rely on their voice to find the character, but in this play O’Connell remains silent. Her task is to provide the body and mannerisms as she lip-syncs to interview tapes of Higgenbotham. While the device is somewhat jarring at first, O’Connell seamlessly becomes Dana H and you easily forget it’s not her own voice. 

“Dana H” is a true testament to Dierdre O’Connell’s skills as an actress. In her Goodman debut she’s given the task of physical theatre. She’s so natural as Higgenbotham that she even adjusts her jewelry as Higgenbotham had done on the interview tapes. A glance at how much compassion an actress must have for their character as well as how many times she had to listen to the grizzly tapes to get the gestures down.  

But “Dana H” is more than just a “48 Hours” with a gimmick. It’s a story about how involved we get with strangers. Dana is a hospice chaplain. Her job is to help people pass from one world into the next. The irony is her getting tangled between the law-abiding reality most of us can relate to and an underworld that knows no law, only power. It’s also ironic that so few people intervened on her behalf. Was it cowardice or ignorance? 

“Dana H” never lacks theatricality. O’Connell’s mesmerizing performance makes this a very active telling of a gruesome interview. Les Waters breaks the uniformity of Hnath’s concept with a well-crafted set and some effects that punctuate the timespans Higgenbotham covers. “Dana H” is an unforgettable evening of theatre. It’s certainly an impressive feat for actress and author but more than anything it’s a real-life situation that makes you wonder what you’d do. 

Through October 6 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3800

“I’m a better version of myself, when I’m by myself,” says Nora in Lucas Hnath’s sequel to Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’. The play takes place some fifteen years after her departure at the end of the original play. Steppenwolf is one of the first regional theaters to revive the 2017 Broadway blockbuster, which starred Steppenwolf ensemble member Laurie Metcalf. Both Hnath and Metcalf were nominated for Tony awards for the play, Metcalf taking home the Best Actress award.

With the exception of ‘Grease 2’, sequels are rarely good. That said, it’s an interesting thing when done in theatre. In recent years we’ve seen a sequel to ‘Hamlet’, ‘The Crucible’ and now Ibsen’s feminist drama ‘A Doll’s House’. Before groaning, “but they’re ruining it!” consider that Hnath’s script stands alone and is probably closer to a satire than a direct sequel. ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ picks up at the very door Nora slams at the end of Ibsen’s play. It is fifteen years later, and she comes back with a favor to ask of her ex-husband. What follows is a humorous manifesto in defense of being single. And no, you don’t need to remember the fine points of Ibsen’s original to enjoy Hnath’s updated version.

Sadly, Laurie Metcalf is not joining this revival but that’s just fine because ensemble member Sandra Marquez is well suited for the role. It’s a short play, just barely hitting the 90-minute mark, but in that time there’s a perfect banter between Nora and her former governess Anne-Marie, played by the indelible Barbara E. Robertson. Marquez spends every moment of the play on stage and that often includes swaths of monologue. In a costume designed by Izumi Inaba, her performance is captivating. She nails all the jokes and maybe even finds new humor in the script. Though short, her scene with Celeste M Cooper is ripe with tension. Cooper plays her estranged daughter with a cool and mysterious sense of doublespeak.

If a ‘A Doll’s House’ is about the suffocation of marriage, then ‘Part 2’ is more of a denunciation of pairing off in general. In fact, Nora mentions that you’re not marrying the person you’ll end up with, you’re marrying who they are right now. And people change. This observation alone is somewhat disturbing but truly encapsulates the message Hnath is getting at. The play ends abruptly but the point is made. Maybe being alone isn’t the worst thing in the world, but like Marquez’ performance, it takes a lot of strength to stand on one’s own.

Director Robn Witt’s vision for this show is cool. We would imagine that anything in the world of Ibsen would be typical high production cost period piece. Witt strips it down for a minimal approach, nearly the only color is the bright yellow door Nora comes in, and then out of again. The costumes suggest period, but the dialogue is exceptionally modern. Though there are Voss water bottles on stage, we never forget what time period we are in. ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ at Steppenwolf is a near perfect revival that doesn’t go in for a carbon copy of the Broadway production. A major difference is that there’s on-stage seating for an even more intimate look. A good example of why it’s usually best to skip the national tour if you live in Chicago.

Through March 17 at Steppenwolf Theatre. 1650 N Halsted. 312-335-1650

Death Tax by playwright Lucas Hnath is about a wealthy 70-something woman who believes that her daughter is paying off her nurse to kill her before the New Year's death tax kicks in thereby reducing her inheritance significantly. When the play opens, Maxine, played ferociously if not sympathetically by Tony Award winner, Deanna Dunnagan states a truism that I found touching, about the fact that people who have money late in life are "preserved" while those that do not have money are not "preserved."

Dunnagan is absolutely riveting, and beautiful to look at. Even her hand gestures resemble those of a ballerina, very sparing and graceful.

I had hoped that the play would demonstrate more of the very real danger to senior citizens who find themselves deteriorating physically and mentally due to subpar care because of their financial situations, as this happens every day in this country and indeed many elder citizen's deaths are hastened for financial reasons. Unfortunately, Maxine's delusions and combative personality which are common in patients with dementia are treated as the main problem instead of the system of health care in this country that often pits patients and family against the nursing home or hospital in a race to save money or make money off the dying person.

There are several great, rapid fire speeches in the play for all four actors, and Louise Lamson as her hapless estranged daughter, and J. Nicole Brooks, as the nurse Maxine attempts to bribe into her loyalty do a great job delivering them in a way that makes the audience constantly ask themselves, "What would I do in that situation?'”

Hnath is a popular young writer at the moment with two plays in production at once, but in this play he misses the mark when he chooses to make Maxine the villain of the piece. However, there is not enough warmth either in the characters or the staging that cause you to really care much what happens to each character. Instead we are asked to believe that a nurse and her supervisor would easily accept large bribes from an obviously paranoid and overmedicated patient without thinking they would be caught. 

Overall this was still a compelling, quickly moving piece of theatre that raises many important questions about how aging Americans are placed at the mercy of their relatives and caregivers at the very time they need support the most.

Death Tax is playing at Lookingglass Theatre through October 12^th. You can find out more about tickets and other dhow information at www.lookingglasstheatre.org.