Review: HARD TIMES - APPALACHIAN STORIES at Z Space

Hard Times – Appalachian Stories

By Ron Rash

Directed by Amy Kossow and Jim Cave

Word for Word at Z Space

Three tender stories of human relationships, presented through the lens of Appalachian culture, are beautifully captured in Ron Rash’s Hard Times now at Z Below. We first get a comedy, then a touching tale about sadness, to the amazingly hyperreal story of deprivation and hopelessness.

The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth" is the humorous tale of a church’s ill-fated Crucifixion observance framed by an ex-couple’s rocky relationship. In story two, “Sad Man in the Sky,” a man hires a helicopter for a very personal mission that will have deep emotional effect on both the man and the copter pilot. The wonderful ensemble speak in the third person and become relatable, sympathetic characters. Directors Kossow (“Sad Man in the Sky,” “Hard Times”) and Cave (“The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth”) use minimal set design to tell the stories, allowing the actors to create the moods. Rash deals with themes of resilience, humor, and sacrifice. Like The Grapes of Wrath captured the Midwesterners, Hard Times shines its light on another underrepresented people.

The third act is the lead story “Hard Times” from Rash’s 2010 collection Burning Bright, and it soars with his authentic love for the culture. Set in the Great Depression, the characters live, breathe, and weather the storm of economic hardship stoically, and with great courage. The story is simple – two neighboring families have a dispute over egg poaching. When food becomes more precious than gold, this makes for compelling material. But Rash also deftly folds in layers of human emotions like guilt, shame, and pride that touch all cultures equally.

Hard Times continues through November 2nd. For tickets go to https://www.zspace.org/aboutwordforword  or by calling 415.626.0453.

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