THE RED ROOM

TBG Theatre
312 West 36th Street
NY NY
14-30 July 2016

Written by: Morgan McGuire
Directed by: Jenny Beth Snyder

Featuring: Mehan E. Jones, Jessica O’Hara-Baker, John DiMino, Thomas R. Walsh, Sheila Stasack, Michael Kingsbaker, Rob Brinkmann, Orisa Henderson

It is a cliché to quote Tolstoy’s opening of Anna Karenina about happy families are all the same but unhappy families, etc., but THE RED ROOM is about a really miserable family. Having endured the murder of the oldest son, the parents and remaining siblings bring that pain into their relationships, corroding everything.

Kate (Meghan E. Jones) is the oldest now, and she uses her position to bully the others into doing what she wants. She is trying to teach her baby to sleep, so insists on letting him cry and cry even though it is disturbing to everyone else gathered at the family home for Thanksgiving. The most disturbed is her father who is in cancer treatment.

Comments are made by the two “outsiders” (Kate’s husband and Ceeci’s boyfriend) that this is such a close-knit family that no one would dare suggest having Thanksgiving elsewhere, but the family does not seem close-knit at all. Even with the family inside jokes and games, none of these people ever really talk to each other. They yell. A lot. Often at the same time. I realize this is realistic, but it is not very pleasant to listen to. Kate seems to think that the louder and bossier she is, the more she will get her way, but it never works, so I’m not sure why she keeps doing it.

The main conflict is over the sentencing of their brother’s murderer. They have all been asked to make Victim Impact Statements in order to persuade the judge to inflict the harshest sentence possible. But the father and younger sister want to understand and forgive. What should be an interesting argument about vengeance vs. forgiveness is so overwhelmed by screaming and yelling, it is impossible to feel for any of the characters. Kate’s hostile attitude makes it especially difficult to sympathize with her or to believe her husband so selflessly loves her.

The multilevel set and lighting are very good, but a little more measured performances would have made this a much more effective play.

- Jean Tait -