“If I had to do it all over again, I never would have had children.” That line is not from playwright Bess Wohl’s Make Believe. That chestnut is from an oft-repeated refrain from my mother. This play explores similarly gloomy relationships between children and parents in a structurally interesting way.
David Zinn’s impressive stage set is an attic playground. Up in this world where the children convene after school is a playhouse, a plastic kitchen set, a table and chairs, toys and storage boxes. This play is set both in the 1980’s and the present day. When taking your seat, the soundtrack includes The Police’s “Spirits in the Material World” and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s “Enola Gay.”
Young Addie (Casey Hilton) is pretending to be mommy with her Cabbage Patch doll. The four children of this household have defined roles. When Young Chris (Ryan Foust) comes home, he’s taunting studious Kate (Maren Heary) who chides him for making a ruckus. Eventually they slip into family play have a pretend dinner. Kate will scream “Now come on before it gets cold!” Staring at the meatloaf, Chris barks “what the hell is this?”
Where are their parents? Chris is mad that there was no snack on the table when he got home. The phone rings and the children listen through the floor. That is the connection to the outside world for them and us. The answering machine picks up. Over time the friction in this household will become even clearer. Meanwhile, the children reenact the behaviors they witness including the pretend chugging of wine.
Make Believe is certainly funny and, for many of us, recognizable. What makes this story so tantalizing are the layers of heartbreak which peek through the children’s personalities. Kate writes a letter to Princess Grace of Monaco. “It has come to my attention that I may be your child.” Funny, yes. Tinged with sadness, most definitely.
The story evolves to the current day and mysteries will be dealt with at a family reunion of sorts. Ms. Wohl’s dialogue includes a hopeful thought: “This is just childhood. We’re not even going to remember most of this stuff.” As you might expect, that’s not entirely accurate. All of the kids had their own coping mechanisms in their youth. Young Carl (Harrison Fox) did not talk and pretended to be a dog. The reunion brings adults together who are still coping with unforgotten memories and disappointments.
Michael Grief has nicely directed this ensemble. The children are equally natural and exaggerated in their depiction of their world. The adults feel like extensions of their younger personas. This fairly short play meanders and unravels in a casual and very effective way. By the end, there is a completeness to the journey. Funny and sad. Thoughtful and angry. Most importantly, so very real and, frankly, dispiriting.
Make Believe is a strong piece of theater. My favorite performance was from the older Addie played by Susannah Flood. That’s unfair to say because parents are not supposed to pick favorites, especially in a group this endearing and accomplished. Not for nothing, this play reinforces that parents are not perfect!
I saw Bess Wohl’s exceptional hit play Small Mouth Sounds at Ars Nova in 2015. That memorable journey involved a silent retreat in which all the characters onstage did not speak. The precise facial and body language conveyed their personal angst. The audience was trusted to interpret and fill in the details. Make Believe is similarly thoughtful. From my seat, I’d note that it was also dismaying and so very true to life.
Make Believe has been extended through September 22nd at Second Stage’s Tony Kiser Theater. I fully expect regional theater companies will pounce on this one in the future.