The power of the pen takes on new meaning when a letter written as an act of revenge on an unfaithful husband traps three generations on a 40-year rollercoaster ride of toxic emotions in the world premiere of the drama “Louisa Gillis,” on stage at North Coast Repertory Theatre.
Louisa inhabits the story, but we never meet her. All we know is she came from Old Money and lived on New York City’s upper West Side in a mansion built a century ago by the Astor family. She also writes a doozy of a letter that not only sullies and financially ruins her scholar husband’s reputation and academic career but overshoots its mark with unintended consequences that drives her daughter to alcoholism, cripples her granddaughter’s ability to launch into the adult world and relegates the husband’s new wife as a perpetual outsider barred from family events mundane and momentous.
James Sutorius portrays Steven as cantankerous against his kin and his failing health. He takes solace only in his rock-solid marriage to Helga (Denise Young), once his student, as the couple navigates life in a Connecticut retirement community which Steven refers to as “Bedpan Alley.” Sutorius is a stalwart at North Coast Rep, and for good reason. Under the direction of David Ellenstein, this performance is, as all of Sutorius’s performances are, exceptional.
Daughter Celia (Faline England) is a spitting cobra when she is with her father. Engaging in verbal combat, however, brings no peace and has driven her into the arms of Johnny Walker Black. The authenticity of England’s portrayal of Celia on a bender is frightening and riveting.
Granddaughter Lucy (Caroline Renee) has had her confidence beaten into submission by Celia’s drunken tirades and the young woman’s ineffectual attempts to serve as family peacemaker while Steven still draws breath.
Trusting the audience, scenic designer Marty Burnett created a single set that does double duty as Steven and Helga’s rest home digs and Celia and Lucy’s Manhattan apartment. As scenes change, your brain does the rest embracing the illusion. Light design by Matthew Novotny, costume design by Elisa Benzoni, sound design by Matt FitzGerald and music composed by Ian Scot.
All this said, it’s an uneven 90 minutes in which arguing and name calling become repetitious. A bravo win-win resolution to the story warrants more time to savor. With fine-tuning, might we better understand Louisa’s motivations that turned family ties that unite into family ties that shackle, and better understand how to break the chains.
by Lynne Friedmann
