‘Fairview’s’ Absurdist Social Satire

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Photo courtesy of Marquette Theatre

Kylee Ramsey and Lauryn Middleton in Fairview - Marquette University

Kylee Ramsey and Lauryn Middleton in Marquette Theatre's 'Fairview' (2025)

Act One is a bit of a textured and nuanced sitcom. Then Act Two casually watches Act One. Act Two tries to force itself into Act One in Act Three. The format of Fairview alone is clever enough to be fun and engaging. The fact that it’s also addressing race relations in the U.S. and popular culture make it all the more captivating as Marquette University Theatre presents a staging of the contemporary absurdist social satire.

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Photo courtesy of Marquette Theatre

Michael Kratzer in Fairview - Marquette University

Michael Kratzer in Marquette Theatre's 'Fairview' (2025)

As the play opens, an upper-middle class African American family prepares for a big, fancy dinner. Lauryn Middleton commands the stage as Beverly. Everything has to be absolutely perfect for the big dinner in her mother’s honor. There’s a great deal of stress involved from every member of the family. The most notable conflict arises from Beverly’s sister Jasmine. Kylee Ramsey is somewhat stunning as the strong, vividly energetic sister of an understandably exhausted Beverly and over-worked. By the end of Act One, Beverly’s passed out on the floor.

Act Two finds a group of white people discussing race as the events of Act One play-out in silence on the stage behind them. Playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury cleverly portrays them as well-meaning liberals who are comically inadvertently racist in spite of themselves. Gradually their attention turns to the events of Act One. They launch themselves into roles that gradually devolve the show from the intricate comedy into cultural stereotypes. The script might seem a little heavy-handed towards the end of the comedy, but director Dimonte Henning has a firm hold over the surrealist absurdist energy of a script that offers an unflinching look into the nature of contemporary race relations in the U.S.

Marquette University Theatre’s production of Fairview runs through Nov. 23 at the Helfaer Theatre, 525 N. 13th St. For ticket reservations and more, visit Marquette Theatre online.