what: wit by margaret edison
where: the raven theatre in edgewater
accompaniment: joy + becky!
drinkability: low, they offer snacks & non-alcoholic drinks in the lobby.
show length: 90 minutes, no intermission
out of four: four/four
theatre is a wonderful gift. its storytelling at its finest, played out right in front of you. instead of the veil of a screen you have the ability to reach out and touch the people in front of you (though it'd make you a very naughty audience member), and if all of the stars align and you get to experience incredibly talented people in front of you convincing you that they are who they say they are- its like a secret window into someone else's experiences. pepper in your own life memories and emotions and you've got a rollercoaster of an evening in a squeaky reclined seat for ninety minutes. thus was my saturday night.
there are two stars in any production of WIT. its undeniable author, margaret edison - a schoolteacher who took a chance and wrote one play ending in a pulitzer prize, and the lucky actress to be cast as dr. vivian bearing. this night was aston rep's company member alexandra bennett- who is a force to be reckoned with.
WIT follows a professor of poetry- an expert on john donne's work- as she is diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. it follows her through her eight brutal treatments of chemotherapy- this dosage not to have been successfully completed by any patient up to this point, and bearing, seeing little choice and being one who is up for a challenge, begins her time in and out of the hospital. we're introduced to dr. bearing in her uniform of double hospital gowns, shaved head and a cap. she loses the cap as the show progresses, and i applaud the bravery or simple choice of bennett's to rid herself of her hair for the role. it truly made all of the difference.
the work that bennett put in to becoming dr. bearing was astonishing. edison does not provide dr. bearing's character easy to learn dialogue or cadance. i had no issues believing that bennett became dr. bearing- as she spouted off quotes, theories, definitions like smooth water. i wanted to cheer after she receited a donne poem precisely in front of the audience as it was projected behind her. this type of confident, uninterrupted dialogue was consistent through the show. each scene brought forth a new challenge that bennett took with ease and accomplished with grace.
WIT approaches the topic of our modern healthcare system and in-treatment experiences with delicate hands, as we see both the doctors who view her as an ongoing science and research experiment, and the sole nurse who stands in as her comfort. one of the hardest things to watch as the show progressed was the lack of family, friends, loved ones who came to bennett's side. she was alone, in the most frightening time of her life.
this november will be six years since i lost my father to lung cancer. it becomes a numbers game in my head when i remember it- he died when he was 46. he fought the cancer for a year and a half. they say when cancer is detected in the body you have had it for up to eight years. i've spent the last six years repairing myself from the pain of losing someone to a disease caused by a bad habit with no cure in sight, and the ninety minutes that this show unfolded in front of me tore a lot of that progress down. i found myself wanting to cry at the least sad moments. in the moments of strength. in the moments of wit. in the moments of fearlessness. because no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you fight, sometimes you don't win the battle, and you disappear along with your wit, your charm, your intelligence, your will to fight.
as i'm sure this experience hit home closer with me as it will for others, there's no denying the talent and the beautiful execution of the script both by the entire ensemble of the show but also from ms. bennett. it's a beautiful time to remember that as actors, performers, writers and directors, we have a gift, and a chance to reach inside our audience and make them feel something, even if it hurts.
also: be thankful for friends who will see shows with you and bring tissues.
don't miss WIT - running at the raven through june 7th.
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upcoming may shows:
saturday may 31st, 8pm: halcyon theatre's between pancho villa & a naked woman as part of the alcyone festival 2014
join me, will you?