FeedsRabbit Hole proves worth of live theater
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Rabbit Hole characters Nat, (Ruth Crawford), Izzie,(Maggie Meyer), Becca (Hallie Bard) and Howie (Jeff Thomakos) portray the family torn by grief after the loss of a child. The play continues at The Tipping Point in Northville.Those who want to visit Northville for the latest production at The Tipping Point Theatre are in for a treat.
Rabbit Hole, a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama that opened there last weekend, hits on all cylinders.
Written by David Lindsay-Abaire, the play tells the story of Howie and Becca Corbett, a couple struggling to come to terms with the death of their 4-year-old son, Danny, who was hit by a car while chasing his dog into the street.
Each has their own way of dealing with the issue: Howie (played by Jeff Thomakos) is trying to hold onto his fading memories of the boy. Becca (Hallie Bard) seems to be trying to forget them by packing up the boy’s belongings and pushing for her husband to sell the house so they can move.
The situation becomes even more awkward when Izzie, Becca’s sister (played by Maggie Meyer), announces that she is expecting her first child. Their mother, Nat, played by Ruth Crawford, tries to make peace between the two while helping each daughter deal with the changes in her own life.
It’s easy to see why the play earned the prestigious Pulitzer. Everything comes together at exactly the right moment. The script, which reveals plot points and character background in a way that gives audiences a greater appreciation for the thought that went into every phrase.
I don’t have a theater background, and many of the nuances that a more educated reviewer might catch were most likely lost on me. But you don’t need a pedigree to enjoy this play or to take something away from the script that eases the audience from painful, poignant moments to laugh-out-loud responses with an impressive, nimble grace.
These characters—right down to Jason, the guilty teen who happened to be driving down the street on that ill-fated day—seemed more real to me than any I’ve watched on the silver screen.
That’s in part because they have such an impressive collective resume. Bard is an alum of the Purple Rose Theatre apprentice program, as is Meyer, who graduated from it recently. Thomakos has acted in a variety of roles at different venues, taking on personas as varied as Julius Caeser to Lenny of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Crawford has acted in community theater from New York to California as well as at The Purple Rose.
Dennis North directed the play. It’s his directorial debut. He has extensive experience as an actor on stages such as the Meadowbrook Theater, Williamston Theatre and the Purple Rose, to name a few.
All work together to make this production a rare treat, indeed.
Rabbit Hole runs through March 15 at The Tipping Point, which is located on E. Cady Street in downtown Northville. Showtimes are 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There is a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturdays and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sundays. Tickets are between $18 and $25. To order them, visit www.tippingpointtheatre.org or call (248) 347-0003.
