Posts Tagged ‘will eno’

Midnight’s Engaging “Wakey Wakey” Features Strong, Thoughtful Performances

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on July 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Wakey Wakey
by Will Eno
Directed by Ellie Schwetye
The Midnight Company
July 16, 2026

Joe Hanrahan
Photo by Joey Rumpell
The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company’s latest production is a short but thoughtfully staged intimate look at one characters ponderings on life and mortality. Starring Midnight’s artistic director Joe Hanrahan and directed by Ellie Schwetye, this is a show that doesn’t really have a plot, but there’s a lot to think about. It’s also clever in its use of audience interaction. 

Hanrahan’s character is billed as “Guy”, and it’s not entirely clear if that’s his name or a generic description. The truth is, he doesn’t need a name, since many of his reflections are universal and can apply to almost anyone. He starts the show sleeping in a wheelchair, and when he wakes up he isn’t entirely sure it’s time to start his presentation. He then proceeds to go through a series of reflections and questions about life and what it means, including remembering important events and people, and challenging the audience to do the same. Late in the show, as Guy has become a little more agitated, Rachel Hanks appears as Lisa, a calming presence who states that she’s there to help. As the play winds down, it soon becomes more clear what’s going on, but I won’t spoil that part.

Hanrahan is the show, essentially. His characterization is likable and engaging, if a little mixed up at times, and his interactions with the audience seem natural and engaging. He easily carries the majority of the show’s approximately one hour running time, aided by some fun projections designed by Zac Grimm. Hanks is also excellent, adding to the drama and working well with Hanrahan’s character. There’s also excellent work from director and sound designer Schwetye, lighting designer Tony Anselmo, and costume designer Liz Henning to help set and maintain the contemplative mood of the show. 

Wakey Wakey is like a conversation and a thought exercise rolled into one. Its focus on one relatable central character–with eventual help from another, calming presence–makes it fascinating. It works especially well in the small space at the Chapel. It’s not a long play, but there’s a lot to think about here, and while there is some humor, for the most part its a solemn reflection. If you’re up for examining life and mortality, and experiencing some excellent performances, it’s worth checking out.

Rachel Hanks, Joe Hanrahan
Photo by Joey Rumpell
The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company is presenting Wakey Wakey at the Chapel until August 1

Read Full Post »

Rebel and Misfits Presents a Remarkable “Realistic Joneses”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on July 30, 2018| Leave a Comment »

The Realistic Joneses
by Will Eno
Directed by Edward M. Coffield

Rebel and Misfits Productions
July 26, 2018

Alan Knoll, Isaiah DiLorenzo, Kelly Hummert, Laurie McConnell
Photo:
Rebel and Misfits Productions

Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses is a fascinating play, in terms of characterization, language, and insight. It’s one of those plays I’m tempted to write essays about, rather than simply a review. Its use of language makes me want to buy, read, and re-read the script. Still, a play is about more than the script. It’s about the whole production–acting, staging, production values, etc., and the new production by Rebel and Misfits Productions is the real deal. It’s a challenging, thoughtful, impeccably cast production of this intriguing, insightful play.

The story is something of an unfolding mystery, and part of its brilliance is that almost as much is communicated by what is not said as by what is said. The “Joneses” of the title are two married couples who at first seem to share little in common besides their last name. Appearances can deceive, however, and not all is how it first appears. The story unfolds in a series of scenes, starting as Bob (Alan Knoll) and Jennifer Jones (Laurie McConnell) sit at a table in their backyard, awkwardly attempting to converse. They are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of their new neighbors, the younger couple John (Isaiah DiLorenzo) and Pony Jones (Kelly Hummert). This first meeting is soon followed by a series of more meetings of various combinations of the characters, as the new neighbors get to know more about each other, and the audience learns that there’s more to this story than originally presented. The relationships grow more and more complex, and life situations more serious as issues of life and death, love and meaning, are discussed and played out. The process of discovery is a big part of the story, so I won’t reveal too much, but I have to say that Eno’s script is so well crafted, and this production is so insightfully staged, that clues to what is really going on become apparent in subtle but powerful ways.

This is a show that relies a lot on subtext, and that’s handled extremely well in this production, and by the truly excellent cast. The language is also particularly idiosyncratic, with each character having a specific way of speaking. All four performers here carry off the text and the subtext with impressive clarity, with excellent ensemble chemistry and couple chemistry. There’s real credibility in the relationships between the bickering Bob and Jennifer–played by real-life married couple Knoll and McConnell–and between the quirkier Pony and John, played by Hummert and DiLorenzo with presence, humor, and poignancy. The characters are all relatable in different ways, and enigmatic in other ways–with Knoll and DiLorenzo particularly adept in portraying their characters’ particular types of evasion, McConnell’s wariness through her weariness, and Hummert’s clear communication of the outwardly flighty Pony’s inward depth and dawning realization of what is happening. It’s an ideal cast for this challenging, highly character-driven play.

The neighborhood setting is well-realized through Peter and Margery Spack’s detailed set. Sitting on either side of the performance space, the feeling is of being in these characters’ backyard. There’s also excellent sound design by Ellie Schwetye, and lighting by Jon Ontiveros that helps set the mood and sense of passage of time throughout the play.

The Realistic Joneses is one of those plays that makes me really think about language, to the point where it had me thinking about speech patterns in real life even after the play was over. It’s a highly character-focused play that presents characters that one might see every day, but also emphasizes communication, of emotions, of ideas, and of the changing realites of life. It’s a play I’d read about but had never actually seen, and now I’m glad this remarkable production has given me the opportunity to see it.  There’s still some time to see it, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Laurie McConnell, Alan Knoll
Photo: Rebel and MIsfits Productions

Rebel and Misfits Productions is presenting The Realistic Joneses at the JCC New Jewish Theatre Black Box until August 12, 2018

Read Full Post »