I’m in NYC for a week to visit friends and see as much
theater as I can. On my first night here I ended up at the Booth Theatre to see
the new play Velocity of Autumn because my friend is friends with one of the
producers. I knew nothing about it, but when I saw that it stars the legendary
Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella, I was in! And it turned out to be a great
way to kick off a week of NYC theater. As my friend said after the show, “this
is why this exists, this is why there is theater.” Velocity of Autumn is one of
those two-people-sitting-in-a-room-talking plays, and it’s beautiful. Very real
and honest, rich and full. It’s really a character study of two people at a
pivotal moment in their lives, and explores their connection as well as their individual life goals and choices.
The play opens on 79-year-old Alexandra (played by
86-yeal-old Estelle Parsons), who has barricaded herself in her Brooklyn home,
armed with home-made explosives. Her children are trying to remove her from her
home and put her in a nursing home, so she’s refusing to let anyone inside. Her
long absent youngest son Chris (Stephen Spinella) climbs a tree and into her
window in the hopes of talking her down. What follows is an intense and
revelatory conversation between these two people, both at a crossroads in their
lives and unsure of what’s going to happen next. What Alexandra is really trying to
barricade out of her life is age – the loss of herself. Chris is the one of her
three children that is most like her, an artist and a free spirit, which is how
she raised him. He gives her what she needs – someone to listen to her and
acknowledge her fears. Chris has recently experienced a life-changing event of
his own, which is why he’s decided to come home, for a chance to “do the right
thing.” As they talk about their shared past, and the uncertainty of the
future, they come to a bit of an understanding, although nothing is resolved
for certain. It’s a clear and precise depiction of one moment in these two
people’s lives, lives that existed before this moment and will continue to exist
after.
A few words about the set by Eugene Lee, because it’s
important to visually create this world. The lived in and once comfortable
apartment is surrounded by bottles of flammable liquid, with most of the
furniture against the door. Looming over it all is a huge tree with autumn
leaves, a tree that Alexandra loves and has fought for and lived with for
years. It’s a tree that is strong and rooted in that place, but that is quickly
moving through autumn towards winter, just like Alexandra.
I would love to see this play produced in Minnesota soon. I
spoke to the playwright Eric Coble, who was inspired to write the play after an
encounter with a neighbor but also drew from personal experiences, and he said
he hasn’t had much of his work produced in Minnesota, despite being based in
Cleveland. They were lucky enough to get their first choice for the role of
Alexandra, but he said that every community has their Alexandra. I think our Alexandra is Ivey Lifetime Achievement Award winner and McKnight Foundation Distinguished Artist Wendy Lehr, and I would love
to see her tackle this role at the Jungle Theater. In the meantime, if
you find yourself in NYC, forgo the usual big splashy musical (which, don’t
worry, I will see on this trip) to see this beautifully written, fantastically
acted, poignant, relevant, smart, funny play.