The Sins of the Past

A Number – Writers Theatre

Set in the sparsely-decorated living room of a home that could easily be anywhere along Chicago’s North Shore, Salter is discovered sitting in his leather club chair as he meets and has a pithy conversation with his son. Perhaps, “sons” would be a more accurate term because, in successive scenes, Salter speaks with three different young men who are, genetically speaking, his progeny, as the result of cloning.

English playwright Caryl Churchill’s wrote her one-act drama back in 2002, but the play is set in the not-so-distant future. International debates were raging, at that time, over the controversy of cloning a sheep named Dolly. In addition, stem cell research was promising unbelievable medical advancements and the regeneration of body parts and creation of human embryos was also becoming possible. Churchill began pondering the implications of these scientific advancements, while considering the problems that might occur if and when cloning human beings became a common practice.

The 65-minute drama seems simple, yet different theatergoers may interpret the events they see and hear quite differently. A father is confronted by a young man named Bernard 2. He has accidentally learned that he’s a clone of his brother, Bernard 1. Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, he’s appalled to discover that he’s actually “A Number,” one of several dozen clones of Salter’s biological son. Salter is then reunited with Bernard 1, his original son, who the father had deposited long ago in a home for individuals with emotional problems. The 45-year-old Bernard 1 is furious with his father for abandoning him in that facility, and is even angrier to learn that there are clones of him walking around everywhere. And from there, the story continues building to a conclusion that’s sure to provoke some lively post show conversations.

Making her directorial debut at Writers Theatre, Robin Witt is a familiar name at both Steep and Griffin Theatres. She’s carefully crafted her production of this intellectually stimulating play, making the most of a tight collaboration between Brandon Wardell’s lighting design and Thomas Dixon’s intense sound design. She’s kept actors’ staging and dialogue clear and simple, allowing her actors to fall into the clipped, almost stilted delivery style found in early Theatre of the Absurd plays.

Ms.Witt’s cast is impeccable. With a resume of impressive roles from many noteworthy Chicago theatres, William Brown was last seen in Writers’ production of “Twelfth Night.” Here Mr. Brown creates Salter, an older man who’s confronted by the mistakes of his past, personified by his abandoned son and a couple of his clones. He’s a widower who’s found solace in the bottle, but still riddled with guilt by the errors he committed long ago. In Churchill’s drama, the father is literally visited by the sins of his past.

Nate Burger, a young actor whose talents have been enjoyed at theatres like Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, TimeLine and the Goodman, proves he’s a master thespian. Mr. Burger meets the challenge of not only portraying Salter’s son, Bernard, but also two of his many clones, as well. He deftly creates characters who, of course, look alike, but are just slightly different in attitude, posture and speech. 

To help the audience distinguish between each character, Mieka van der Ploeg has designed three similar, yet very different, quick-change costumes for Burger. His wardrobe, while contemporary, has just a hint of futuristic style. And, uncomplicated, the story is staged within Courtney O’Neill’s realistic living room setting.  

Caryl Churchill is a gifted British writer known for plays that dramatize the abuses of power. Some of her most popularly produced works include “Vinegar Tom,” “Cloud Nine,” “Top Girls” and “The Skriker.” In this short one-act, the playwright is concise and at the top of her form, as she ponders the morality of nature versus nurturing. She’s created a world of the not-too-distant future, in which cloning, although still a debatable practice, is now commonplace. By plunging us directly into the middle of the scenario we’re witnessing a conflict between a father and his sons. The audience becomes immediately engaged in deciphering the mystery of the who, what, when, where and why of their relationship. But, it’s a stimulating intellectual challenge that’s well worth the effort.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas       

Presented March 30-June 9 by Writers Theatre in the Gillian Theatre venue, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, IL.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 847-242-6000 or by going www.writerstheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.