Middletown

By Will Eno
Directed by Les Waters
Steppenwolf Theatre
From June 16, 2011 to August 14, 2011

If you're a big city person, then plan to be dragged into a new culture and atmosphere because that's what Will Eno's Middletown brings. Centered in a town of few people and where most of the street signs are named after trees, it's a play where loneliness heightens the drama and the townspeople struggle restlessly for the answer to life. The story, actors, and different theatrical elements make this show an unforgettable adventure.

Mary Swanson (Brenda Barrie) has just moved into Middletown to start a family of her own. She crosses paths with a librarian (Martha Lavey), who enjoys the simplicity of her life; a cop (Danny McCarthy); a disabled hoodlum, who longs for love (Tim Hopper); unimpressed tourists (Tim Hopper and Molly Glynn); and many more. It's when she meets John Dodge (Tracy Letts) that her life takes a turn. As the acts unfold, these two characters form a friendship from sheer loneliness.

Good things come to a halt soon enough, though. Eno adds a scene in which audience members reflect on the progress of the Middletown play. This scene doesn't add much to the story. As more time is spent in the hospital during the second and third acts, the pace and suspense slow down. Mary delivers her baby, while John gets treated at the hospital. Finally, we are left with a predictable ending.

Both Antje Ellermann's scene design and Matt Frey's lighting design establish the play's mysterious mood and keeps the audience awake and alert. These elements gave a bit of pizazz to the performance by helping breathe life into the characters' surroundings. The actors, including Brenda Barrie, Martha Lavey, Danny McCarthy, Tim Hopper, and Tracey Letts, are the bread and butter of the production. Their portrayal of the fragmented characters shows the distorted nature of the town in which they are living, as the theme suggests.

Seeing the actors navigate their way through the characters makes this performance worth seeing. Go out there with some friends and see it.