Amy Herzog's 2011 play tells the story of a grandson and his grandmother -of him coming to her apartment in desperation after a personal disaster and the weeks that follow which map out the nature of the relationship between them. It's a prickly relationship with the somewhat-deaf and prickly Vera and her reticent grandson Leo resolving some but not all of their issues over the course of a hundred minutes in stage time - for the boy, a first encounter with mortality, the dissolution of a relationship and his choice of a path ahead, for Vera, a reflection on her own past relationships and what mattered in her life. Along the way we meet two young women Leo's connected with - his long term girlfriend Bec and a one night stand, Amanda - both of which bring fresh perspectives on the pair.
A lot of the narrative drives from Leo - we're given an arc of his escape from responsibility into an emerging sense of him accepting new ones - Vera comes across as a little underwritten (which is ironic given 90% of Herzog's writers note is about how the character is based on her own grandma) - we get elements of her past and present but I don't sense that Herzog has fully thought through how a woman in her senior years finds purpose outside of family. There are some intriguing thoughts on the complacency of the comfortably well-off leftists who imagine themselves better people because they've been standing up against bad behaviour in their own country, never reflecting on how leftist policies have damaged people in other countries - but again, this examination never gets particularly deep. It's largely an attempt at comfortable warm vibes rather than a lot of thought on the issues it produces, and Kenneth Morelada's production largely produces those vibes well, with Jeremy Allen's comfortable West Village apartment giving us a stylish, intellectual retreat.
Nancye Hayes as Vera anchors the evening well - giving Vera a lot of sharp, cantankerous edges combined with vulnerability. Shiv Palekar as Leo gives the combination of youthful enthusiasm and sudden damage from recent traumatic events palpable power - we know immediately something's going on behind his actions and the unravelling as it proceeds is powerful. Ariadne Sgouros relies a little bit too much on a self-protective smile to barely conceal the concerns Bec has underneath - she should have been assisted to find other ways of expressing the uneasy relationship she has with Leo than just one facial expression. Shirong Wu has one scene but makes it count, giving her character variety and life and presenting a strong contrasting viewpoint into the otherwise cosy environment.
Kelsey Lee's lighting design shifts moods well, giving a sense of different times in the same room - and Jessica Dunn's composition and sound design adds to the mood as we transition between times.
This isn't the strongest season opener of STC's recent seasons - it's a little too eager to be gently ingratiating for that - but it's a good opportunity to see a theatrical legend like Hayes and to observe a human connection across the footlights.
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