Dead Man’s Cellphone
by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Summer Baer
West End Players Guild
April 10, 2026
Ben Ritchie, Nicole Angeli
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild
A woman and man who have never met sit at nearby tables in an otherwise empty cafe. When the man’s phone keeps ringing and he doesn’t answer, the increasingly annoyed woman decides to go over and find out what’s going on, only to make a surprising and morbid discovery. That’s the setup for Sarah Ruhl’s dark comedy Dead Man’s Cellphone, currently being staged by West End Players Guild under the sharp-eyed direction of Summer Baer. With a great cast, striking production values, and an especially keen sense of timing, this is a play that examines its subject matter with a whimsically dark lens.
The setup isn’t really a spoiler, considering the title. Also, even though Gordon (Ben Ritchie)–the owner of the cellphone–is dead, he does get his chance to speak through the magic of theatre. The woman, Jean (Nicole Angeli) begins answering the frequently ringing phone and soon finds herself drawn into a strange new world involving the Gordon’s family including his distraught and doting mother (Payton Gillam), his somewhat flighty wife Hermia (Lynett Vallejo), and his neglected brother Dwight (Nick Freed), as well as a mysterious “Other Woman” and “Stranger” (also Gillam). As Jean and Dwight share an attraction, the various characters reveal secrets about Gordon that Jean–who feels an increasing obligation to answer the cellphone–isn’t necessarily prepared to deal with. It’s an odd play, with a structure that’s basically linear but sometimes “out of time”, as well, using its sharp wit to explore issues of personal connection, relationships, secrecy, and more.
The cast is fantastic, with Angeli’s wary but constant Jean being the center around which everything else revolves. Angeli’s connection with Freed’s affable but ostracized Dwight is credible and fascinating. Gillam displays excellent range in her different roles, and Vallejo shows excellent timing in her role as Hermia, and Ritchie as the mysterious Gordon gets his moment to have his say in memorable fashion. In fact, all of the actors are on top of their game with the timing, which is essential in this show. So many moments depend on pauses between lines, or timing of reactions, to the point in which I was sometimes wondering how the audience reaction would be effected if the timing were different. Baer’s direction is hauntingly precise, and that adds much to the dark, mysterious tone as well as the comedy of the piece.
I like when productions at this venue change up the usual staging, and this show does that well, with seating on three sides and the main staging area being away from the stage in the basement of Union Avenue Christian Church. Baer’s set, colorfully painted by Morgan Maul-Smith, is an abstract space surmounted by a dangling mobile, making for a whimsical setting for the strange and sometimes disturbing events of the play. The lighting by Renee Sevier-Monsey and sound by Bryn McLaughlin–featuring well-chosen use of music–works well with the tone and mood of the story. Liz Henning’s costumes and Gabrielle Lynn’s props also contribute to the overall quirky air of the show.
Dead Man’s Cellphone is the first play by Sarah Ruhl I’ve seen, even though I’ve heard of this playwright before. This thoughtful, darkly comic production makes me more interested in checking out more works by Ruhl. At WEPG, it manages to be alternately creepy, chilling, humorous, and oddly hopeful. It’s a particularly strong showcase for a talented local director and first-rate cast.
Payton Gillam, Nick Freed, Nicole Angeli
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild
West End Players Guild is presenting Dead Man’s Cellphone at Union Avenue Christian Church until April 19, 2026