Review: The Hilarious WILD NIGHTS: AN EMILY DICKINSON SLEEPOVER PLAY is Driven by Absurd Performances

There is an extraordinary commitment to the art of storytelling in Young Liars Theatre’s production of Wild Nights. The immersive new comedy, penned by the extremely talented Courtney Bailey, is overflowing with brave, all-in, goofy physical performances and loaded with silly sight gags.

Billed as an Emily Dickinson Sleepover Play, Emily and her sister-in-law Susan invite five middle school girls who hold the secrets to the perfect sleepover. Can they possibly help Emily and Susan “see the face of God” before the seven giddy girls – and one boy - crash from their sugary infusion of Dr. Pepper and “the really good snacks?”

The eighth girl is Emily’s younger sister Lavinia Dickinson. She’s living out her fantasy of marrying a very specific hot boy. She, and her costume, are one hilarious sight gag.

The Emily Dickinson in the play is the prolific 19th-century poet whose works were found after her death by her sister Lavinia and published posthumously. Many of her poems were inspired by, and dedicated to, her sister-in-law Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson. It is now believed Emily and Susan shared a secret romantic relationship.

Wild Nights, a fantastical comedy set in 1997, never really explains why Emily, Susan, and Lavinia live in the realm of the millennial girls, Tamagotchis, Princess Di, and Trapper Keepers. But that just doesn’t matter. What’s most critical is that the sleepover antics can help Emily see the face of God.

Directors Chuck Harper and Maggie Conroy have staged a high-octane farce driven by the unapologetically absurd performances of Ashwini Arora, Molly Burris, Frankie Ferrari, Cassidy Flynn, Keating, Ellie Schwetye, Rachel Tibbetts, and Conroy. The eight actors chug Dr. Pepper, down sugary snacks, gossip, celebrate their crushes on hot boys, tell macabre stories, and choreograph a dance sequence all before falling asleep much earlier than any of them intended.

Walking into the theater is a real wow moment. There is no fourth wall. The audience is instantly immersed in Conroy and Harper’s outrageous storytelling. Conroy’s set design completely transforms the intimate performance space. The blanket swags covering the walls create one large blanket fort over Emily Dickinson’s bedroom.

Chuck Harper’s sound design, Bradley Rohlf’s lighting design, and Marcy Wiegert’s costume designs achieve a seamless aesthetic unity. The design team is in on the joke with each of their elements converging to add to the pandemonium.

Wild Nights is inspired ridiculousness. It’s a fun romp of giddy, screaming, giggling teenage girls executing what they believe is the perfect sleepover. The directors and actors tap into this ensemble’s fearless ability to be comedically vulnerable and do what ever it takes to earn the audience’s laughs.

Courtney Bailey’s Wild Night’s, presented by Young Liars Theatre, continues at the Greenfinch through June 13, 2026. Visit youngliarstheatre.org for more information.

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