Playwright: Tracy Letts. At: Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets: 312-335-1650 or www.steppenwolf.org; $20-$89. Runs through: May 29
Tracy Letts' world-premiere drama Mary Page Marlowe for Steppenwolf Theatre Company will likely divide audiences.
Those expecting a sprawling three-hour epic in the vein of Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning family drama August: Osage County might be disappointed by this compact one-act focusing on the title character's "ordinary" life. And some will question why Letts chose a time-shifting structure to show snapshots of Mary Page Marlowe's major life-turning points or moments of self-realizationparticularly when the play's abrupt ending catches so many people off guard.
But perhaps Letts just wanted to explore the significant events in a regular woman's lifeparticularly when she had control taken away from her due to actions both within and beyond her control. Yet one can argue that Mary Page Marlowe is, in fact, epic.
The play's casting features six different actresses at different ages depicting the title character ( there were seven, but director Anna D. Shapiro opted to not use actual infants in the bitter argument scene leading to the marriage breakdown between Marlowe's parents just after World War II ). It is luxury casting all around, especially with many stellar actors from the large ensemble appearing in only one or a few scenes.
And when you consider that Mary Page Marlowe faces down parental abandonment, adultery, divorce, alcoholism and prison, it is hardly an "ordinary" life. Sure, it may not all add up to an overarching symbolic statement that some audiences may wish for, but Letts' depiction of Mary Page Marlowe's existence touchingly veers from so much potential and hope to debilitating upset for losses and lingering regrets.
Shapiro keeps the proceedings intense and interesting as the times skip around locales in Ohio and Kentucky. Projection designer Sven Ortel's subtle work is a great assist to all the spot-on historical period work done by costume designer Linda Roethke and set designer Todd Rosenthal.
There really isn't anything to fault in the ensemble performances, though a few get more chances to shine. Rebecca Spence as the middle-aged Mary Page Marlowe gets a particularly intense acting work out as she spars with her upset daughter ( Madeline Weinstein, as the wonderfully confrontational Windy Gilbert ).
Tony Award-winning actress Blair Brown ( Copenhagen ) is also very moving as the late-life Mary Page Marloweparticularly when she gets a piece of good news from her third husband, Andy ( affably played by Alan Wilder ), and when she looks back on the difficult course of her life.
So though Mary Page Marlowe might not live up to expectations based upon Letts' previous work, the play still gives audiences plenty to ponder about for personal reflection. Hopefully, anyone between the seven different age ranges of Mary Page Marlowe will be able to relate.