Review: RABBIT HOLE at Creekside Theatre Fest is Heart-Wrenchingly Gripping

Creekside Theatre Fest’s RABBIT HOLE is heart-wrenchingly gripping in its exploration of unimaginable grief and human connection. Written by David Lindsey-Abaire, RABBIT HOLE opens mere months after Becca and Howie Corbett lost their son, Danny, in a car accident and examines grief’s effects on the couple and the friends and family in their orbit.

Jeanelle Huff and Kristian Huff (a real-life married couple) masterfully portray Becca and Howie as they navigate the loss of their son in different ways.

Jeanelle Huff’s Becca is prone to lashing out and chooses to start packing away and donating Danny’s things if only to make it easier to manage reminders of him. Huff brilliantly handles the emotional volatility, stoicism, and defensiveness needed as she processes her isolation and deals with her mother, Nat (Shaunna Thompson), who can’t stop comparing Danny’s death to her own son’s death, and her sister, Izzy (Jenessa Ihrig) who is newly pregnant and clueless in Becca’s eyes. Whether it be an argument, tender moment, or humorous discussion, Huff is incredibly present and beautifully depicts a mother yearning for understanding on how to move forward when her world has stopped. Kristian Huff’s Howie is the exact opposite in that he needs those material things to hold on to Danny and processes his grief by obsessively watching home movies of Danny and attending a support group with other parents of deceased children. Huff is enthralling in his portrayal of Howie and is adept at balancing moments of forced normalcy with the desperate moments of a father searching for comfort.  

Thompson’s Nat is captivating as she tries to offer her own form of comfort and connection in often inappropriate and sometimes poignant ways. Ihrig’s Izzy is impulsive, funny, and protective, especially when it comes to her older sister despite Becca’s seeming lack of faith in her ability to grow up and take on new responsibilities. Rounding out the talented cast is Henry Jeppeson who plays Jason Willette, the young man that played a role in Danny’s accident. Jeppeson’s Jason is gentle and tenacious in his reconciliation attempts as he navigates his own struggle for comfort through a yearning for connection with Danny, Becca, and Howie.

Ultimately, this production of RABBIT HOLE, directed by David Morley Walker, is incredibly riveting in its depiction of the complexity of human experiences, especially in the face of loss. It also beautifully sums up that the search for connection, while sometimes painful and scary, is necessary to patch the holes in our hearts. Thus, connection equips us to better navigate the many convoluted paths of life.

RABBIT HOLE plays at the Liahona Theatre for the Community June 13, 15, 18, and 19. For tickets, visit https://www.creeksidetheatrefest.org.

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