Theatrical Review: “Wit”

WIT
Written by: Margaret Edson
Director: Nathan Snyder
Theatrical Review by: Paul Adam Smeltz

The Shawnee Playhouse* in Shawnee on the Delaware, PA is presenting their current production of Margaret Edson “Wit.” “Wit” is a hard play to watch. The play deals with the medical condition of Ovarian Cancer and all of its ramifications. It does so in a completely unfiltered and realistic way. This not only gives the audience a more in depth understanding of the condition and what those afflicted goes through throughout its progression, but leaves the audience emotionally drawn by the play’s end.

To say this is good theatre, great theatre, or even excellent theatre would be a very gross understatement. This play moves people. It causes them to go silently as they leave the theatre. It encourages them to reflect upon the topic of the work long after it’s completed on stage. In other words, it lingers with us and touches our lives in a way in which they’re never really quite the same again.

Most of “Wit” takes place in a hospital room in which a professor of philosophy named Vivian Bearing (portrayed by Midge McClosky* who also serves as The Executive Director of The Shawnee Playhouse*) is a patient. The superior intellect demonstrated by the Vivian Bearing character leads us from a purely intellectual understanding of Ovarian Cancer to a more complete understanding as we experience the ailment through her experiences and her thoughtful descriptions of them. In fact, the audience becomes more than mere observers of the character and how she behaves as they increasingly become more emotionally involved with who she is as a person.

We begin to recognize her as one of us. Even those of us (males) who would never be diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer can identify with the severity of the terminal condition. However, there are many men who has had or continue to have women in their lives who suffer from the condition. This reviewer once lived with a woman of whom her gynecologist suspected of having Ovarian Cancer. Luckily, his suspicions proved to be unfounded, but the memories of those moments spent waiting word of a verdict on her future will always stay with me.

Occasionally, one reads a long detailed list of former acting accomplishments of one of the actors appearing on stage that evening. We then find out those achievements occurred a very long time ago and much of the abilities they once had are denizens of their past. Ms. McClosky’s biography in the play’s program echoes such listings.

However, Ms. McClosky’s* portrayal of Vivian Bearing is a very well crafted one as it allows the audience to peal away the walls the character creates through her complexities so we can discover the raw emotional reactions many of us are more than aware of as we live our daily lives. It is reflective of the character’s love for the late 16th century metaphysical writer John Donne whose works seems to build a barrier of its complexities so the simple truths of life and suffering can not touch him.

This aspect of the character is well used by Ms. McClosky* as means to conveying the experiences of an Ovarian Cancer patient to the audience. In the process of our endeavors to see the emotional realities beyond her intellectualized barriers, we almost tricked into relinquishing our own so we can do so. We become vulnerable and encounter all we discover without the protections we came into the theatre with. We then become part of the play and it touches our lives in a very profound way.

The remaining cast of “Wit” consisted of Emma Scott as Susie Monahan, R. N. (the nurse who cares and consoles Vivian during her final days), Andrew Deichman as Jason Posner, M. D. (Vivian‘s attending Physician who was her former student and becomes more interested on how the treatment is progressing than the humanity of his former teacher), Hugh Davies as Harvey Kelekian, M. D. (Vivian’s Primary Physician who seems very disinterested in relating to his patients in humanistic terms) and Mr. Bearing (Vivian’s father who is reflective of the Dr. Kelekian character in his aloof approach to those he relates to), and Jimmy Helms as E. M. Ashford (Vivian’s former teacher and colleague who guides her to a new awareness not only in her formal education pursuits but through her final moments as well). The cast also consisted of Carly Mayo, Sean Thompson, Stephen Wovna, Dawn Rother, and Anthony DiMichele who were members of an ensemble portraying orderlies, nurses, medical students, and Vivian’s students in some flashback sequences. Each actor demonstrated considerable skill in their craft which contributed to the chemistry of the production.

Prior to the presentation of the play, there was a brief statement made by Suzanne Zale Buck who is a Cancer Survivor and part of The Spirit of Women group at The Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, PA. Here words were poignant as the audience were told cancer research and treatment has improved in the ten years since the play was written resulting women surviving Ovarian Cancer. This was a reassuring statement, but this reviewer feels it might have better served the production if it was given after the play. But, this is a small observation as it’s placement did little to detract from the quality of the production or the performances it contained.

The Shawnee Playhouse* production of “Wit” by Margaret Edson was Directed by Nathan Snyder and Stage Managed by Jenell Anne Manzi*. The Company’s Technical Director was Scot Cleveland while the Company’s Stage manager was Byrdie Jacques*. The Production’s Technicians were Luke Swierczek*, Lydia Watson*, and Michael Demyan*. The Shawnee Playhouse* producers are Ginny and Charlie Kirkwood while group Sales of their productions are handled by Mary Horn* (who also served as a member of the Box Office Staff as assisted by Becky Haskell.) The Box office staff included Barbara Ross, Christina McManus, and Melinda Clemente. The Shawnee Playhouse publicity is handled by Amy Cramer*.

This production of “Wit” by Margaret Edson continues its run at The Shawnee Playhouse* in Shawnee on the Delaware, PA until August 2nd. I would recommend this production to anyone willing to be touched by the shear truth of Ovarian Cancer as only one can be by letting down all their emotion defenses. The next Shawnee Playhouse* presentations will be their productions of “Dames at Sea” presented July 24th - August 30th and Sylvia” presented August 7th - 30th. In addition to these productions, “The Jungle Book” will be presented July 10th - August 22nd as part of their children’s theatrical offerings. Those who enjoy the Passionate Art Lover level of membership in The Forwardian Arts Society are offered a $2.00 discount off the admission fee of The Shawnee Playhouse* Productions (excluding Children Theatrical Productions and those presented by non Shawnee Production Companies). Please contact The Shawnee Playhouse* at 570-421-5093 for more information and to reserve your ticket.

(*) denotes members of The Forwardian Arts Society in good standing and are considered Our Good Friends.