Review of 'Make Believe' by Bess Wohl at Hartford Stage

Pictured above: Sloane Wolfe as Kate, Roman Malenda as Chris (in the background,) RJ Vercellone as Carl and Alexa Skye Swinton as Addie in MAKE BELIEVE at Hartford Stage All photos by T. Charles Erickson.

Dedicated to my sister Christine on her birthday

Hartford, CT - MAKE BELIEVE is a new play by Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award-winning playwright Bess Wohl, whose most recent work was SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS. This new work was commissioned by Hartford Stage; the production that opens the venue’s 55th season, and runs through the end of September, is the world premiere of Ms. Wohl’s work firmly set in the 1980s.

The mostly serious play that has some touches of humor was directed by Jackson Gay; both the director and playwright earned an MFA from Yale School of Drama. It runs for an intense 90 minutes without intermission and is wisely recommended for adults. There are four children in the cast, but this is not a play for children.

The play follows four young siblings as their childhoods are turned upside down by the deep-seated problems of the grown ups in their lives. It attempts to demonstrate how the pivotal moments from one’s childhood can resonate for a very long time. To this end, the cast is made up of four young performers and four adult actors, all of whom convincingly embody their characters first as children and then as predictably damaged adults.

The first three scenes looks at family trauma through the eyes of children who deal with it by pretending. For the final three scenes set in the present with the adult actors, Ms. Wohl writes that she was “interested in exploring whether make believe is a way of healing a painful experience, or an escape--something that you have to let go of as you get older and confront reality and truth.”

The children entered meticulously decorated playroom well before the lights dimmed for the beginning of the matinee performance that I attended. As the audience members found their seats, many of those already seated enjoyed appreciating the 80s memorabilia. There was also a display in the upper lobby about the iconic toys that became popular during the decade.

Scenic designer Antje Ellermann designed the large playroom with a large childlike fort that is used for scenes in silhouette and Erin Keller, Hartford Stage Props Manager, deserves the credit for capturing the Atari era with her props and set dressing. I found all of the technical elements of the production to be top notch, especially the messages being left on the first generation home answering machine.

Starting with the youngest members of the cast, Roman Malenda played the brother Chris in his Hartford Stage debut. Alexa Skye Swinton played the younger sister Addie and RJ Vercellone (A CHRISTMAS CAROL-A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS) played the youngest boy named Carl. Sloane Wolfe played the studious big sister Kate in her debut at Hartford Stage.

CT Critics Circle winner Megan Byrne made her Hartford Stage debut in the role of the grown up Kate, now a medical doctor. Molly Ward (OTHELLO at HS) played the grown up Addie, a television personality. Brad Heberlee, who attended Yale School of Drama, made his debut with Hartford Stage as the grown up Carl. Chris Ghaffari, who earned an MFA at Yale, played the role of Chris.

MAKE BELIEVE runs at Hartford Stage through Sept. 30. Please note that there is a new automated parking system at the MAT parking garage attached to the theater that involves a paper voucher that can be scanned.

Nancy Sasso Janis Photo by J. Timothy Quirk

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417