Review: Finding Grace In Things We Throw Away

There's something deeply satisfying about encountering a new play that's smartly written and confidently realized. THE GARBOLOGISTS, now running at The Invisible Theatre, is just that kind of experience—a reminder that fresh material, paired with sharp direction and strong performances, can resonate without spectacle.

That impact begins the moment you enter the space. James Blair's scenic design is striking and immersive: a scaled-down garbage truck sits center stage, flanked by mounds of black trash bags and scattered debris—a design that meticulously captures a gritty urban street corner. It's unvarnished in its symbolism, setting the tone for a play intent on making the invisible visible: the labor, the waste, and the people we too often overlook.

What unfolds is a taut two-hander built around the friction and evolving connection between Danny, a streetwise sanitation veteran, and Marlowe, his new partner—an Ivy League-educated newcomer with a guarded past and something to prove. The setup is straightforward, but the execution is layered and precise.

Under Betsy Craig's direction, the pacing is finely tuned. The energy remains buoyant without ever feeling rushed, and quieter moments are given room to breathe. This calibration is essential in a show with two actors and a stationary set. John Dahlstrand's delicate lighting adds an essential layer, shifting gently between the rhythms of daybreak, dusk, and the emotional shadows. 

The performances are exceptional. Christopher Younggren brings Danny to life with gruff charisma and impeccable timing, revealing flickers of vulnerability beneath the bravado. Opposite him, Tanisha Ray gives Marlowe a reserved intensity, balancing wit with emotional restraint as Marlowe gradually lets down her guard. Together, they deftly handle Joelle's intelligent, unsentimental dialogue, finding humor, tension, and unexpected warmth in an evolving dynamic.

Beneath the jokes and sharp-edged dialogue is a rumination on labor, grief, and human connection in unlikely places. Garbage becomes literal and symbolic: the physical refuse they haul daily and their emotional baggage. For all its grime, the job becomes a kind of secular ritual—repetitive, humbling, oddly revealing. What we throw away says more about us than we realize, and Joelle leans into that idea with restraint and precision.

At the heart of their reluctant partnership is a quieter, more devastating commonality: parenthood. Each character, in very different ways, is haunted by the absence of a son—Danny through estrangement, Marlowe through loss. It's a shared wound neither one names immediately, but it shapes everything: their defensiveness, deflection, and willingness to let each other in. Joelle never lets this theme swell into melodrama; instead, it emerges gradually, like a bruise forming under the surface.

The dialogue reflects this balance. It's punchy and grounded, filled with banter that never feels performative. Joelle writes with an ear for how people deflect and defend—humor becomes a coping mechanism, and silence is often more revealing than speech. Under Craig's careful direction, the actors never overplay these moments; they let the pauses linger long enough to suggest the weight behind the words.

THE GARBOLOGISTS may take place in a world most of us overlook, but it speaks with clarity, compassion, and wit about the things we all carry—our histories, our hurts, and our hopes for repair. It's a small play in scale but expansive in emotional reach. Since its premiere, it has received regional stagings in at least 13 cities.

That national momentum makes it all the more special to experience here in Tucson, where playwright Lindsay Joelle now resides. It's also a promising signal of the artistic direction ahead: Betsy Craig, now officially serving as The Invisible Theatre's Artistic Director, has already announced an exciting 2025–2026 season. Under her leadership, the company seems poised to maintain its tradition of thoughtful, high-caliber productions.
 

If you've heard the recent hype about THE GARBOLOGISTS, the folks at IT live up to it.  With Craig's steady direction, and two richly drawn performances, the company offers a genuine reminder that connection endures even in the messiest of places.

Photo credit: Tim Fuller

THE GARBOLOGISTS continues through this Sunday, May 4. For tickets, call 520-882-9721 or visit