Review: World Premiere "In the Mood" at Olney Succeeds

                        

 

You get the picture early on that this play will be told from the end. You have to listen closely though to better understand this.

 

"Enough! Look, I've done my Joan Didion year of magical thinking. I've gone stage by stage with Elizabeth Kubler Ross. Individual therapy. Group therapy. Immersed myself in the Talmud, Jesuit theory, even turned to the Zen master Thich Na Hanh. At some point there's supposed to be something called closure…"

 

If you recognize these names, you'll understand that Jennifer is talking about the passing of her late husband, Neil, who lingers above the stage listening. Does this work. Absolutely.

 

"In the Mood" is a riveting piece of theater that I believe could become a great addition to many theater companies nationwide and who knows, maybe Broadway.

 

This work is a result of the OlneyTheatreCenter's New Play Initiative begun by Artistic Director Jim Petosa who has worked on this project for over two years with Washington, DC playwright Irene Wurtzel.  Its incarnation began at Theater J with a workshop directed by Ari Roth and there were several other readings at OTC with Petosa at the helm.  I cannot imagine the joy experienced on Opening Night when the playwright Wurtzel and director Petosa watched a terrific cast perform in a great intimate space, the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab (about 100 seats) on a terrific set (Milagros Ponde de Leon), exquisite lighting (Donald Edmund Thomas) appropriate and believable costumes (Kathleen Geldard), great sound (Jarett Pisani) which included the sounds of a Redskin game, and finally, a terrific cast.

 

I

"In the Mood" follows the marriage between artist Jennifer Workman, played warmly and compassionately by Mary Beth Wise, and her husband, Neil, a remarkable performance by

Christopher Lane

who is an Under Secretary of State. Lane thus begins the play observing what live is like without, watching his talented artistic wife hack a piece of sculpture with a chain saw. The play moves backward in time. Lane thus at the start is under medication and his bi-polar disorder is under control. But he's not the same as he was. Medication makes him "blissful and ordinary".  He calls himself a zombie.

 

As the play moves backward, we get to see the "real" Neil which causes his wife to admit "You're slipping away from me…and it's scaring the hell out of me".

 

Bi-polar disorder is a scary disease and while it may sometimes be uncomfortable to watch, this topic finally gets this disease on the front burner. 

 

So what does one do? Keep your loved one medicated, calm, and acceptable, or do you unleash the "sleeping tiger" and hope for the best.

 

The supporting cast of Leo Erickson, Halo Wines, Tim Spears and Theresa Barbato brings reality to the evening. Erickson is so believable as the Secretary of State, and Halo Wines shines in her role as Neil's mother.

 

Politics and depression. Not a new topic. Maryland's gubernatorial race this year was proof of that with the revelation of Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan which led to his withdrawal as a candidate.   I also recall the admissions of Vice-Presidential candidate Senator Thomas Eagleton many years ago.

 

You don't have much time to see this production. It ends on Sunday September 24.

But if you can get there, and there are tickets available, you will experience a NEW play that has a great future.

 

For tickets, call 301-924-3400.

 

For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

 

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