Review by Neal Newman
February 4, 2024
R. Eric Thomas is a wonderful guy. He is a warm and original storyteller who could be an excellent standup comic or sitcom star if he wanted to be. I remember once when someone asked him what the R. stood for, he said something to the effect of that his name was Robert because his folks felt that a non-black name would look good on job applications. Then he said: “I got a lot of interviews with racists.”
He is also a critic (uh-oh), and I love his reviews for their humor. On re-seeing TITANIC, he recalled the healing moment when the elderly Rose tossed the gigantic diamond into the ocean. Possessions don’t bring happiness, only love. Says Thomas: “Thanks so much, but I opt to learn that lesson the hard way: by being rich for about 70 years and see how that goes.” As for being a critic, he said he loved “anything that was free.”
His play MRS. HARRISON is being revived at the Montgomery Theater. It has received productions throughout the country, rave reviews, and many Barrymore nominations when it debuted in Philadelphia in 2018. Montgomery’s associate artistic director, Kristen Heckler, who is renowned for championing women, gender roles, and new plays, saw this as a necessary production. As director, she would want to bring this play to a new audience.
The setting is the exclusive restroom at an upscale college during a thunderstorm at a class reunion. The characters are:
- The beautiful, well-dressed, successful black playwright Aisha (Chali Cooke) is being celebrated in the Alumni magazine.
- The scuzzy, thrown-together Holly (Jena Kuerzi), an unsuccessful writer, comic, and, by default, storyteller, is there for the free drinks.
At first, it seems to be a chance meeting between strangers, but Holly has an agenda, which is not my job to reveal. Let’s say they are not strangers, and as we discover they knew each other ten years before, it is evident that Holly is driven by jealousy and the need for attention and success.
This production has a few shortcomings. but that didn’t divert my and other playgoers’ discussion in the tavern afterward.
‘How many themes are contained in this play?” we asked!? It is about ideas and how they can be turned into compelling art. It’s about storytelling, the need for stories, and the difficulty of crafting them. It is about who owns an idea and if white people can write stories about black people. It’s about failure in the world of theater (or anywhere) and the jealousy that comes when you know someone who has succeeded. We recalled the quote from Chekhov: “Never allow a writer to enter your home. They’ll steal everything.” Holly is angry because she feels Aisha has stolen one of her ideas. But was it stolen? Does Holly have the talent and the drive to write a story?
My difficulties begin with a few more questions. Why doesn’t Aisha leave? A careful reading of the author’s description of the play says they are “trapped” by the thunderstorm. However, this element of “trapped” was not well defined in the performance. Sure, there were lightning and thunder crashes, but these seemed to be only occasionally interesting events irrelevant to the proceedings.
Why does Aisha like and admire the unlikable Holly? According to the published script, the author has her say: “That’s good, that’s really admirable.” Or “I’m fascinated.” But I missed these developmental moments in this production. Lacking this bare dramatic urgency, the characters become merely voices for the author’s ideas rather than human beings.
What does Aisha think of Holly’s bizarre 20-minute story? According to the published script, Thomas says: “Aisha buys this. She is shocked and immediately drawn in. There is a certain deliciousness for her in Holly’s strangeness and unreserved revelations.” Either I missed this pivotal moment, or the director did not emphasize it.
Kudos to the design team of set, lights, and costumes (R. Cameron Purdy, Jim Leitner, and Teal Knight) for excellent, unobtrusive work. Chali Cooke and Jenn Kuerzi are exceptional performers, and the play is well-staged. But fundamental questions remain here, which hopefully can be considered as the run continues.
Running time: 75 minutes without intermission.
MRS HARRISON by R. Eric Thomas plays through February 25 at 124 N. Main Street, Souderton, PA. Tickets can be obtained at montgomerytheater.org or by calling 215-723-9984.