A play about love, aging, selfishness and selflessness.
Deep into Director Matthew McCrary’s theater piece the other night (SUCH SMALL HANDS), a gentle wave of sniffles swelled through the audience at Chance Theater, where a wife’s love and loyalty were on tender display.
From acclaimed playwright Adam Szymkowicz — who the Times calls a master of “postmodern courtship” — this intimate, emotional world premiere tells the heartfelt and humorous story of Paul and Marie, a longtime married couple facing an uncertain future, whose life together is defined by their small, everyday rituals.
One morning, over coffee, a simple question — “Do we drink it black because the sugar is out of reach or because we like it that way?” — sparks a day filled with playful quibbles, laughter, and poignant memories. This moment of reflection acts as a gateway to a deeper exploration of their relationship, as Paul begins to forget small things, a shift that becomes more evident as the day unfolds. SUCH SMALL HANDS is a meditation on the complexities of love, aging, selfishness, and selflessness, all wrapped in a blend of humor and emotion, and the delicate balance of holding on and letting go in relationships.
As you may have guessed, Paul (Bruce Goodrich; “The Reindeer Monologues,” “Sweeney Todd,” and you may have caught him in “Tribes” at Chance) is cancer ridden and descending into dementia. He wants to take his own life while he still feels like himself. However his wife, Marie, stretched to the emotional limit, fights to prevent his suicide. Still cherishing their many years of happiness, Marie strives to convince him not to give up.
Juliet Fischer's Marie has the difficult task of driving the play’s non-linear story. Ms. Fischer, a Broadway actress with a long resume of legendary book musicals such as “Chicago,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Kiss Me Kate,” is definitely up to the task. She has the expressiveness that many movie actors would kill for, and she’s equal parts engaging and enthralling. The fluid nature of the storytelling makes it imperative to have a strong narrative thru-line, and Ms. Fischer puts on that responsibility with ease.
As Paul—fast-sinking into the black hole of dementia—Mr. Goodrich dives head-first into the deep end of vulnerability and bravely swims right to the edge of his fears, self-doubts, anger, despair, and the complicated never-ending circular conversations with Marie. The result, subtly guided by Director McCray, produces an extraordinary, perceptive and profoundly important work.
Gracing a minimally designed stage with only a couple of small credenzas that serve as a bed, a wheelchair, a hi-fi, a simulated fireplace, etc., an arrangement of small chairs, photos, blurred pictures of houses representing the neighborhood dangle from above, Ganymede Projects has created a composite and ingenuous space, as old 8mm home movies flash on a wall screen behind, showing the couple in their earlier days.
Marie is disturbed her husband’s decline seems to be in freefall, like thinking his hands are getting smaller, forgetting that his son is now a family man and constantly wanting to go to the library. It’s a powerfully profound expression of not being as ready for the ending as she thought, asking for a little more time. In the end, he repeatedly states he doesn’t want to be a continuing burden. Finally, before bed, she gives in to his demands and reaches for the sleeping pills. A long and languished scene follows which gives the appearance of the overdose taking effect. The surprise ending, however, serves as a gentle reminder that in drama, things are not always as they seem.
The funky, artsy, comfortable vibe of the blackbox Fyda-Mar stage was perfect for the intimacy of the performance. And even though packets of tissues were available in the lobby before we were seated, I personally wouldn’t describe this story as sad. Rather, I would describe it as emotional. Powerfully so. And because the story was told with such emotional truth, each audience member was able to connect in their own personal way, from laughter to tears to the understanding nods that silently said, “Yeah, that’s … me, too.”
ADAM SZYMKOWICZ’s full-length play is a realistic view of the emotional, mental, and physical impact of dementia on the person with it and the caring spouse who is physically and emotionally drained but wants to hold on to being with her spouse.
“The Chance has been one of my theatrical homes for going on 12 years. I’m excited to come back to work on this with my Chance friends,” Mr. Szymkowicz said during a video interview. “I have had a lot of people deal with these kinds of health issues, and writing about it helps me better understand it.”
During this absorbing 70-minute performance you will walk the journey many of us are already doing (or will be soon facing), or have already lived through. The story points out heart-breaking hard decisions to be made, but also the sweet moments along the way with the “you’ve got to admit this is funny” parts, allowing the continuity to flow seamlessly, perfectly, timelessly. But, more pertinently, it points to the depth of love and redemption that can become visible at the end of the long slog, reminding us of what’s most important in life.
CHANCE THEATER PRESENTS, SUCH SMALL HANDS, Running February 28th through March 30th at Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by ADAM SZYMKOWICZ. Mr. Szymkowicz (a premiere Resident Playwright at The Chance Theater in Anaheim, CA) was the first playwright to participate in Bloomington Playwrights Projects’ Square One Series. He has been to The Orchard Project, Green Gulch, and to JAW at Portland Center Stage, served twice as Playwright in Residence at the William Inge Center, and twice as a Dramatists Guild Fund’s Traveling Masters.
Mr. Szymkowicz' plays have been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada and Europe. Other outstanding works include “Deflowering Waldo,” “Open Minds,” “Anne,” “The Art Machine,” “Pretty Theft,” “Food For Fish,” “Hearts Like Fists,” “My Base and Scurvy Heart,” “Herbie,” “Incendiary,” “Old Fashioned Cold Fusion,” “Bee Eater,” “Temporary Everything,” “Susan Gets Some Play,” “Clown Bar,” “Fat Cat Killers,” “The Why Overhead,” “Elsewhere,” “Where You Can't Follow,” “The Artist,” “Forbearance,” and “Nerve.”
SUCH SMALL HANDS is Directed by MATTHEW MCCRAY; Projection Designed by MATTHEW MCCRAY; Scenic & Costume Designed by GANYMEDE PROJECTS; Lighting Designed by AZRA KING-ABADI; Sound Designed by DARRYL B. HOVIS; Stage Managed by JORDYN NIEBLAS-GALVAN; Dramaturg ANNA JENNINGS; Casting Director SHINSHIN YUDER TSAI.
Starring: BRUCE GOODRICH as Paul; JULIET FISCHER as Marie
SUCH SMALL HANDS has a running time of 1 hour, 10 minutes with no intermission and has performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM. For Tickets see: www.chancetheater.com/
Chris Daniels
Arts & Entertainment Reviewer
The Show Report
Photo Credits: Doug Catiller
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