Colder Than Here
by Laura Wade
Directed by Robert Ashton
Albion Theatre
June 13, 2025
Livy Potthoff, Susan Wylie, David Wassilak, Anna Langdon
Photo by John Lamb
Albion Theater
Comedies about death aren’t new, but English playwright Laura Wade’s Colder Than Here is an especially clever, thoughtfully constructed one. Currently being staged by Albion Theatre and directed by Robert Ashton, this show features a well-chosen cast and memorable characters whose relationships and emotional journeys are surprisingly relatable. It’s a relatively small cast, but the production leaves a big impression as a weighty topic gets an incisive but sensitive examination.
What’s the most fascinating to me about this story is the gradual but sure depiction of growth in the characters’ relationships and attitudes as the reality of terminally ill Myra’s (Susan Wylie) impending death gets closer and more immediate. The premise is that Myra has enlisted her daughters–the more erratic, immature Jenna (Livy Potthoff) and the older, more “responsible” Harriet (Anna Langdon) to help her find a “green” burial place for her. She also orders a cardboard coffin that she plans to paint and has clear instructions for her family–including her somewhat prickly, reserved husband Alec (David Wassilak)–about her funeral. As the story starts out, Myra seems a bit more upbeat about the situation than you might expect, although that changes as the story and her illness progress. The various characters have their own ways of coping–or trying not to–with the eventuality of Myra’s death, as Alec immerses himself in the tasks of getting the boiler fixed and repairing a space heater, Jenna deals with a strained relationship with her current boyfriend, and Harriet struggles with Jenna’s neediness and always having to to be the dependable daughter. Over the course of the show, more burial grounds are visited and relationships and attitudes evolve, all told with a witty, occasionally sharp tone that still manages to be believable and thoughtfully handled. It’s clear that there are regrets in this family, and the idea of losing Myra–who is essentially the “glue” of the family–is obviously not welcomed, but it’s also clear that these characters are trying to reach out to one another in their own particular ways. It’s alternately humorous, heart wrenching, and persistently hopeful, and an impressively constructed script.
The characters are embodied in remarkably true-to-life performances led by Wylie as the insistent, earnest Myra, who is clearly the emotional center of her family. There are also strong turns from Wassilak as the guarded but caring Alec, Langdon as the somewhat fussy but also caring Harriet, and especially Pothoff as the initially somewhat grumpy but increasingly involved Jenna. The four make a thoroughly believable family, and the British wit and reserve work especially well in this work, thoughtfully directed by Ashton. Gwynneth Rausch also provides memorable narration of scenes that were originally presented as projections, but (with permission) have been presented here by an onstage narrator.
The sights and sounds of this production add to the overall witty and gently incisive tone of this piece, with versatile set design by Kristin Meyer and evocative lighting by Michelle Zielinski. There’s also strong work from sound and projection designer Ted Drury, particularly in the “grave scouting” scenes. The costumes by Tracey Newcombe are also well done and appropriate for the characters and early 2000’s UK setting, and special kudos go to Jeff Kargus for the construction of the cardboard coffins used in the show.
I had heard good things about Laura Wade’s works before, but I hadn’t been able to see one of her plays until this production. I’m grateful to Albion that such a superbly cast, well-staged version of Colder Than Here has served as my introduction to this talented playwright’s work. It’s another success from the consistently excellent Albion Theatre.
David Wassilak, Susan Wylie, Anna Langdon
Photo by John Lamb
Albion Theatre
Albion Theatre is presenting Colder Than Here at the Kranzberg Arts Center until June 29, 2025