Playwright: Julie Marie Myatt. At: Next Theatre at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. Tickets: 847-475-1875 or www.nexttheatre.org; $30-$40. Runs through: Dec. 23
Can civilians ever truly understand what is going on the minds of injured U.S. war veterans trying to reintegrate into society after tours in Afghanistan and Iraq? Many of those veterans undoubtedly need help, but what's the best way of reaching out to them?
Playwright Julie Marie Myatt's nobly but obliquely addresses these questions in her drama Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter. Now having its Midwest premiere at Next Theatre, Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter certainly has its heart in the right place, but its dramatic approach may frustrate more than it aims to illuminate.
We first get a glimpse into the psyche of former U.S. Marine Jenny Sutter (Lily Majekwu), presumably as she's recuperating from her battle injuries. Then we're transported to a rundown California bus terminal where we find out that Sutter is struggling to work with her new prosthetic right leg.
Sutter is standoffish to people she encounters, including terminal employee Hugo (Justin James Farley) and the gregarious drifter Lou (Jenny Avery). Not wanting to return home, Sutter takes Lou's invitation to travel with her to a desert community of societal outcasts who have formed a sort of communal collective on the grounds of a decommissioned military base.
It's here that the drama feels hijacked, since the focus veers away from Sutter to Lou and her attempts to reach out to the emotionally distanced veteran. Lou is bubbly at talking about her addiction issues of drugs, booze and sex, while Sutter recedes into the background.
We eventually learn of the traumatic event that has emotionally and physically scarred Sutter, but not without a bunch of other communal characters skewing the show's focus. The fact that the characters mention other war veterans on the commune grounds that never appear also compromises Myatt's script, since we wonder why they haven't reached out to Sutter rather than the civilian ones who do.
If the play isn't all that one feels it could be, at least Next Theatre has vividly illustrated the drama with a vivid production by director Jessica Thebus. She's aided greatly by Rick and Jackie Penrod's ingeniously practical set design and Kevin O'Donnell's standout sound design.
The acting company is also great at creating distinctive characters, particularly Lawrence Grimm as the self-taught rambling preacher Buddy, Hanna Dworkin as the low-cost therapist Cheryl and Kurt Brocker as the angry malcontent Donald. But pride of place definitely goes to Avery's outgoing Lou and Mojekwu's Sutter, who keeps her emotions painfully in check largely throughout.
Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter brings to the fore issues that Americans shouldn't shy away from in light of over a decade of overseas military conflict. Too bad the play's focus feels so misdirected and compromised.