Review: 'NIGHT MOTHER at The Alchemy Theatre

There are plays that you watch, and there are plays that watch you back. The Alchemy Theatre’s production of ‘Night Mother is the latter. In an unflinching 90-minute conversation between mother and daughter, the audience is drawn into the intimate and devastating world of Jessie (Sarah-Marie Currie) and Thelma (Johanna Whitmore). Jessie, a woman long burdened by depression and despair, calmly tells her mother, “I’m killing myself tonight, Mother.” What follows is a tense, heartbreaking exploration of life, death, regret, and the painful calculus that drives someone to take their own life.

The plot is simple in structure but devastating in impact. Jessie spends the evening meticulously preparing for her planned death, while Thelma alternates between shock, pleading, guilt, and a desperate desire to understand. Their dialogue is razor-sharp and painfully real. At one point, Jessie says, “I’m not sad, I’m not angry. I’m tired,” and Thelma responds with trembling disbelief, “But I’m your mother. Don’t you need me?” The exchanges are not theatrical flourishes; they are lived, breathing confrontations with despair, love, and helplessness.

With scenic design by Holly and Patrick Crowly, the Whisenhunt stage has been transformed into a living room that could be in any town in America. This careful choice of set design makes the play’s heavy subject matter immediately accessible and deeply relatable. The costumes, designed by Claire Shelton, complement this realism, grounding the characters in a world that feels familiar, domestic, and achingly ordinary, reminding the audience that this story could be happening next door.

Under the direction of Michael Cooper, the performances are nothing short of extraordinary. Currie is stoic, unmovable, and cold, portraying a woman who has clearly given up on life and is determined to take control of her destiny, even if it is by ending it. Whitmore moves in a constant daze. How could she not, after hearing her daughter plans to end her own life? Their acting is so real and raw that you cannot help but want to either shake them to reason, scream at them to seek help, or wrap them in a huge, consoling hug. I attended the dress rehearsal as the sole audience member due to a family emergency, and I cried harder than I ever have in my life in a theater. It was not just the topic that provoked the tears but the unmatched intensity and authenticity of the performances.

‘Night Mother was written by Marsha Norman in 1972 and premiered in 1973 at the American Place Theatre in New York. Norman won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play in 1983, cementing it as a landmark work in American theater. The play was revolutionary for its time, tackling suicide, depression, and the mother-daughter relationship with unprecedented honesty and intimacy. 

The play’s significance extends beyond its narrative. The Alchemy Theatre has done more than produce a performance; they have created a conversation. Recognizing the weight of the subject matter, the company has organized panel discussions with mental health experts during the run, providing a space for dialogue, education, and support. Resources are available for those seeking guidance, those questioning, and those silently struggling. It is a model of socially conscious theater, art that does not just reflect life but intervenes in it, nudging the audience toward empathy, understanding, and action.

‘Night Mother is heartbreaking, yes, but it is also essential. It does not flinch from the darkness, yet it asks us to confront it with compassion. The play grips you, shakes you, and leaves you lingering long after the curtain falls, reminding us that the conversations we avoid are often the ones most worth having. Alchemy Theatre has delivered a production that is as vital as it is haunting, a reminder that theater can be a lifeline in more ways than one.

Content Warning: This production contains frank discussions of suicide, depression, and end-of-life decisions. It may be distressing for some audience members. Resources and support information will be available in the lobby and program.

‘Night Mother

by Marsha Norman

Directed by Michael Cooper

Now Playing Through October 26th, 2025

Oct 17 @ 7:30pm – Champagne Opening

Oct 18 @ 7:30pm

Oct 19 @ 2:30pm – Talkback to follow with mental health advocate Anna Bunker, Dr. Tania Michaels and Dr. Katherine Rose.

Oct 23 thru Oct 25th @ 7:30pm

Oct 26 @ 2:30pm

The Alchemy Theatre

@ The Whisenhunt at Zach Theater