Bleak Tale of Economic Oppression in UWM’s ‘Fen’

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Photo Credit: Nicholas Umbs

Caryl Churchill’s Fen is unlike most plays you will ever see, for better or for worse. The play discards traditional storytelling for a fragmented and elliptical narration. It presents a mosaic of the lives of women laborers in the English wetlands from which there is no escape. While the script is off-putting, the playwright was called “one of the boldest theatrical imaginations to emerge in this decade” by The New York Times when the play came out nearly four decades ago.

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Photo Credit: Nicholas Umbs

Throughout the short scenes, a few strong personalities stand out, starting with Val (Bekah Kalb), who abandons everything to join her lover, Frank (Dan Persino), and Angela (Tiff Polzin), who severely abuses her step-daughter, Becky (Aly Radar). It is strongly advised not to get too attached to these characters, as the life in England’s coastal fens does not leave much room for a “happily ever after.”

This is a tale of economic oppression and capitalistic greed. It is a glimpse into human misery. It shows that working hard and doing your best will not necessarily lead anywhere—besides on your knees, working the difficult ground of the fen. It is also a feminist story, as it presents many aspects of women’s lives, from back-breaking fieldwork to household chores, from passionate love to intense hatred, from an active 32-year-old grandmother to an ancient granny lost in her own mind. The latter, played by Crystalia Varelis, brings a much-needed whiff of humor to an otherwise bleak tale.

The students of the Peck School of the Arts do a fine job delivering a difficult story, and Ralph Janes’ directing is commendable. With few props, most of the ambiance is provided by an animated backdrop showing, in turn, the natural land or indoor décor surrounding the story. The actors’ shadows dance and play on the background, giving the story an otherworldly feel at times. The performance is bite-sized, running 90 minutes without intermission, making the heavy themes of the play more easy to stomach.

Fen runs through Oct. 27 at Kenilworth Five-0-Eight, 2155 N. Prospect Ave.