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Grace and Glorie
By Tom Zeigler
Directed by JoAnn Montemurro
At Raven Theatre’s West Stage
6157 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL
Call 773-338-2177, tickets $15
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time is 2 hours with intermission
Through March 19, 2006
Grace and Glorie a touching, dignified look at the human spirit
Tom Zeigler’s 1996 two-hander, Grace and Glorie is a wonderful look into the dynamics of human bonding. This shows features two of the most honest performances seen on a Chicago stage in ages. Under JoAnn Montemurro’s tight direction and Kelly Dailey’s rustic cabin set design, Grace and Glorie unfolds as a culture clash.
Grace Stiles (Ester McCormick) is a 90 year old Blue Ridge Mountain rural widow who leaves the hospital to spend her last days in her rural cabin in the Virginia mountains. Gloria (Millicent Hurley-Spencer) is a cultured Manhattan MBA recently relocated with her husband to the rustic Virginia back country. Gloria is a hospice volunteer assigned to care for Grace in her last days. The two opposite cultures clash in some cute to funny to poignant moments. We realize that the old hillbilly woman has the wisdom and the religious faith to sustain her while the agnostic cultured woman plays out her pain in helping Grace deal with her eminent death.
The play details the cultural differences between the modern (time is the 1980’s) and the early cultural beliefs of rural mountain folks. Wisely, playwright Tom Zeigler, doesn’t fall into the clichéd ridden trap that has the dying turning the tables and caring for the younger living person. That has been done to death. Instead, we see that indeed each woman shares their pains, they’re life and each mutually learns from each other and help each other cope with death, life and purpose. Gloria can’t let go of the death of her 12 year old son in an auto accident and Grace gains a new respect for her long life and offers a legacy to her few heirs.
I respect Esther McCormick for deftly playing the 90 year old lady with a rich accent and a combination spunk and physical vulnerability. She sure knows how to deliver a well time punch line to land the scripts smart humor. McCormick lets her hair down completely in this magnificent performance.
Equal to McCormick’s moving tender turn is the intelligent work by Millicent Hurley-Spencer as Gloria. We see the confidant, commanding MBA slowing unravel once she understands and respects Grace’s down home wisdom. The chemistry between these two skilled actors is genuine as they react so well to the others pain. Hurley-Spencer plays Gloria’s melt down marvelously. These two characters are easy to relate to and empathize with.
Credit playwright Zeigler for not going for sappy sentimentality in the dying scenes toward the end. McCormick plays Grace with dignity and acceptance. The power of these scenes comes from the strength of these people’s bond, each teaching the other valuable lessons about life, death and the human spirit. Death and religion are tough topics but in the hands of a fine playwright and two accomplished actors, they offer intelligent insights into effects of beliefs on the soul.
This is an uplifting show that celebrates human dignity.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcast
Date Reviewed January 27, 2006
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