The World to Come, Woolly Mammoth Theatre and Theater J, Washington, DC

 

Claudia J. Arenas (Ruth), Brigid Cleary (Barbara), Naomi Jacobson (Fanny), and Michael Russotto (Hal) in Ali Viterbi's The World to Come, co-produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre and Theater J. Photo credit: Cameron Whitman.

Because I read (and write) about plays, it is not often that I find myself at a play I have never read (perhaps because it is a world premiere) and about which I have not read much. It is an experience I enjoy, one that puts me in the place of a more casual theatregoer.

This was the case when I had the opportunity to attend The World to Come, the world premiere of a new play by Ali Viterbi, co-produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and Theater J.

Because of the way that the play unfolds, part of me would like to skip any discussion of the plot, but I will, because so many of the press items about the play include it. If you would like to have that “first look” experience, please skip ahead to the last paragraph. Part of Viterbi’s strength as a playwright, to me, is the skillful way she moves the story ahead through time, “unpeeling the onion,” as it were, till we get to the final moments.

The setting is SeaBreeze, described as a “Hebrew Home for the Aging,” somewhere in southern California. Specifically, the events unfold in the Community Room, which four of the SeaBreeze inhabitants (who call themselves the “Supper Club”) have commandeered for their nightly “meetings,” during which the four of them argue, gossip, and play games (Scrabble, Hearts, even the card game “WarFholo”) while the three female members knit or crochet. The characters’ dialogue is sprinkled with references to Judaism. The play’s online program notes include a glossary of phrases and Yiddish words some might not know provides useful background on the Kaddish, and reminds us that the Washington Post has called Theater J “the most influential Jewish theatre company in the nation.”

SeaBreeze appears to be an assisted living facility. It is unclear whether the inhabitants chose to be there or were placed there by relatives, though it is apparent that visitors are rare. Fanny and Barbara have been there the longest. Hal is the only remaining male member of the Supper Club, since the passing of the other male. Ruth has recently been allowed in to take the deceased’s place. There is also a male nurse, convivially taking one resident’s blood pressure and dispensing pills to others. This is the first in a number of male nurses (all played by the same actor) who become more and more hostile and detached from them as time goes on. We never know exactly how much time passes, but the episodes build on each other until the end. We learn some of each character’s background. All apparently survived their spouses and are currently unattached. Fanny, who survived the Holocaust with grit and determination she continues to possess, has been at SeaBreeze the longest. Her best friend is Barbara, who was once a nuclear physicist, but is now experiencing episodes of dementia. Hal embarrassingly is experiencing incontinence but his sex drive appears to be intact. Ruth, the widow of a rabbi, appears to be the youngest and has been at SeaBreeze the shortest amount of time. Over time, Hal and Ruth begin a romantic and sexual relationship.

Claudia J. Arenas (Ruth), Michael Russotto (Hal), Ro Boddie (Nurse), Brigid Cleary (Barbara), and Naomi Jacobson (Fanny) in The World to Come. Photo credit: Cameron Whitman.

As the play begins, the scene outside the community room is brightly colored and provides a scenic view. As the play progresses and the world outside changes, one of the most obvious changes is a huge wall outside the window, which symbolizes the room being cut off from the outside world. Similarly, the residents note that they lose various forms of communication from the outside until all they are left with is a radio. The male nurse undergoes transitions as well, in costume as well as attitude. I cannot remember at what point it occurs, but the nurse enters wearing a mask (like the ones commonly worn for COVID), which evolves to more advanced masks, until we no longer see the nurse’s face.

There are appearances (whether the characters are actually seeing or are imagining isn’t clear and doesn’t matter) by fantastical and threatening figures, including a raven and an ostrich, and a dementia-fused memory for Barbara back to her honeymoon. The SeaBreeze residents battle whatever apocalyptic or dystopian events are occurring outside as long as they are able.

Playwright Viterbi is especially adept at writing dialogue, particularly dialogue for these characters at least a couple of generations older than she. Though retired and living in a “home” of sorts, the characters obviously are still very much not done with living their lives. Indeed, one of the play’s messages is that just because we reach particular ages or experience health issues, we should be living our lives to the fullest, whatever that might be.

Howard Shalwitz, one of the founders and a longtime artistic director of Woolly Mammoth who also teaches at Theater J, has directed this, which is much more technically challenging than one might expect of a five-character play that takes place in one setting. Shalwitz’s production works beautifully in the intimacy of Woolly Mammoth’s space. His cast and designers create a believable world to begin with, but also show us a world to come that I hope defies belief and won’t happen, even though many elements of the changes are already happening and documented on nightly newscasts.

The cast is exemplary. Naomi Jacobson’s Fanny is cantankerous and argumentative, but has a solid core of strength. Brigid Cleary as Barbara gives us glimpses of the learned scientist to a woman whose dementia takes her to her past. Michael Russotto’s Hal is assertive and determined, especially when he feels his masculinity is at issue. As Ruth, Claudia Arenas appears tentative at first, but more assured as she feels accepted by the group. Ro Boddie is listed in the program as “Nurse, Jerry, Soldier,” but the character of Nurse here is actually multiple nurses. Boddie nails all of his roles, becoming ever more threatening as Nurse while being playful and intimate as Barbara’s newlywed husband in her fantasy vision. He personifies versatility.

Naomi Jacobson (Fanny) and Michael Russorto (Hal) in The World to Come. Photo credit: Cameron Whitman.

The designers demonstrate a singular vision. At first glance, I thought the community room’s ceiling took up much more space than seemed necessary, but as the play unfolded, I realized just how effectively it is used in Misha Kachman’s scene design. I have previously remarked that I think Woolly Mammoth is the most consistently effective of DC theatres in its use of projections (designed by Kelly Colburn) and integration with the lighting design (by Colin K. Bills). This production is another excellent example. Sarah O’Halloran was tasked with creating a soundtrack and design that incorporates multiple levels, and she meets the challenge boldly. While most of the costumes (designed by Ivania Stack) are unremarkable, unadorned contemporary clothing, the futuristic nurse’s clothing and masks are believable and frightening. Outstanding work is also contributed by puppet designer Ksena Litvak and fight and intimacy coordinator Lorraine Ressegger-Stone.

The World to Come is another excellent example of what Woolly Mammoth represents: it is truly “badass” theatre that challenges us and forces contemplation, raising more questions than it answers. At the same time, The World to Come fulfills Theater J’s commitment to focus on “the complexities and nuances of both the Jewish experience and the universal human condition.” The play is, in its own way, a touchstone for both theatres. The World to Come continues at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre through March 1.