Hamish Linklater’s worlds revolve with dramatic turns of events that shock as well as charm.
His new play is hysterically idiosyncratic and a perfect observation of true human effect and response. It is a home-run this early in the season of summer theater as it starts to take flight.
We are all culpable, Linklater reminds us as each of his character’s decisions implicate one another in this tightly knit web of a deteriorating small town of Western Massachusetts. The locations named, short Northeastern colloquialisms, plus the baseball references, and inside Russia jokes are so authentically captured by this play that one has the sense of being in the backyards of these neighbors.
The ensemble cast is perfectly balanced as the turbulent climax reaches its highest level when each character must face their consequences of a road not followed that has lead to the death of a promising young girl. The tragic circumstances seen in the play are brutally real events that sadly plague many neighborhoods across the nation today. The play opens up an enormously important discussion that has largely remained a taboo subject as it provokes us to examine the darker sides of our age.
Whirligig had its world premiere this past Sunday. It will play through June at the New Group’s Signature Theater at 42nd Street. Memorable performances by Dolly Wells (Doll & Em), Zosia Mamet (GIRLS), and Jonny Orsini are sure to leave you stronger in the broken places.
