Overstuffed and Overwhelming

Becky Nurse of Salem

Distinguished writer, poet, professor and essayist Sarah Ruhl is one of America’s most highly-respected and often-produced playwrights. She’s created some of theatre’s finest plays, such as IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY), THE CLEAN HOUSE, EURYDICE and the soon to open in Chicago, DEAR ELIZABETH. Ms. Ruhl is the recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship, the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater, a Tony nomination for Best Play and a two-time nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. In other words, Sarah Ruhl is undeniably a recognized and talented writer. But in her 2019 play, currently having its Midwest Premiere by Shattered Globe Theatre, the gifted playwright overwhelms her audience with far too many ideas. 

This play, which begins on an intriguingly positive note, is simply overstuffed with an abundance of issues and themes. It’s like Ms. Ruhl couldn’t decide which subject was the most important to include, so she just threw everything into the mix. Motivated by the shocking election of 2016, Sarah Ruhl incorporated words from Trump’s rowdy rallies. The candidate constantly complained that the media’s exposure of his many lies was “a witch hunt,” while his supporters hatefully shouted “lock her up,” in reference to his political opponent. Hilary Clinton’s unfair persecution must’ve sparked the impetus for Sarah Ruhl to write this play. 

The drama’s also centered about the fiction behind Arthur Miller’s famous play about the Salem witchcraft trials, THE CRUCIBLE, as well as the truth about 1692 hysteria in Salem. Then Ms. Ruhl decided that wasn’t enough, so she included plot points about family challenges, the difficulty of the working class to earn a decent living, making ends meet in a small town, raising a teenager as a single parent, opioid addiction, overdose and death, dealing with depression, magic realism, historical accuracy, love between middle-aged individuals and a whole lot of other issues.

Smoothly Directed by Polly Noonan, the two-hour play focuses on Becky Nurse, a 62-year-old tour guide. She’s actually a descendant of the famous Rebecca Nurse, the oldest woman to be tried and executed for witchcraft in Salem. Becky feels that she’s the real expert on the individuals involved in the actual Salem Trials. Certainly, she has more knowledge and empathy about this tragic event than Shelby, her younger, arrogant college-educated supervisor. But when Becky gives a talk to some school children and nuns from a local parochial school, the feisty and tough tour guide accidentally peppers her presentation with an abundance of salty descriptions and four-letter words. Consequently she’s called on the carpet, setting the tangled plot in motion.

Multi Jeff Award-winning actress Linda Reiter superbly holds the stage in the title role. Last seen in Shattered Globe’s surrealistic FLOOD, along with their riveting production of LONDON ROAD, Ms. Reiter is, rightly, the heart and soul of this production. She’s never off stage and so playing Becky Nurse becomes her own theatrical equivalent to running the Chicago Marathon. Ms. Reiter is passionate and eloquent and gives a heartfelt performance in the role.

She’s supported by Ramon Camin, nicely portraying her married, high school heartthrob, Bob. Adam Schulmerich is excellent, doing multiple-duty playing a Policeman, the Judge and the Jailer. The other characters, who bounce back and forth between time, include Rebecca Jordan’s mysterious modern-day Witch; Hilary Williams’ haughty museum curator, Shelby; Isabella Maria Valdes as Becky’s vulnerable granddaughter, Gail; and Diego Rivera-Rodriguez as her Wiccan boyfriend, Stan. 

The technical team working their magic includes Jack Magaw’s sparse but effective and flexible Set Design, which places the audience alley-style on either side of the acting space. Christine Binder’s atmospheric Lighting Design is made even more special by a dramatic Sound Design and Original Music created by Andre Pluess. Jessie Gowens’ Costumes, particularly her 17th century garments, look historically accurate; however, some of her modern-day wardrobe looks ill-fitting.

In a play whose title offers so much promise for an exciting historical Halloween tale, BECKY NURSE OF SALEM ultimately disappoints. The primary reason is that playwright Sarah Ruhl has ambitiously tried to overstuff her play with too many events and themes. As a result, the drama, which also offers some welcome, unexpected laughs, overwhelms the theatergoer with too many plot elements. The overall effect is an interesting look at how today’s women are, sadly, still persecuted, not so differently from when Rebecca Nurse was unjustly accused of witchcraft. The play offers some fascinating facts about the hysteria, accusations and Trials of 1692 Salem, but the inclusion of too many contemporary conflicts only clouds the integrity of the story.  

Somewhat Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented October 4-November 16 by Shattered Globe at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the door, by calling the

box office at 773-975-8150 or by going to www.sgTheatre.org.

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