Marquette Theatre Shows That a Play About Sadness Can Be Very Funny

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Photo by Maria Crenshaw

Melancholy Play - Marquette Theatre

Matthew Torkilsen as Frank and Tino Dentino as Tilly

Although Sarah Ruhl’s Melancholy Play is set in the Midwest —Illinois, to be exact—it suggests the kind of neurotic navel-gazing that one would normally associate with the hypervigilant, self-absorption one finds on the west or east coasts. For some unknown reason, all of the play’s characters claim to possess a similar sort of melancholy that prevents them from fully enjoying life. And yet, despite their moans, sighs and tears, these characters produce more laughter than sympathy from the audience. How can this be?

The answer has much to do with director Jamie Cheatham’s approach to the material. His nine actors at Marquette University all have a chance to stretch their comedy chops in this production at the university’s Helfaer Theatre. Although many of the actors’ speeches are delivered with serious intensity, there is a sense of mocking wit underneath. Sometimes, it is the characters’ odd gestures that give them away. At other times, all pretense of normality fades into an all-out swinging match between the show’s male characters. Cheatham, who is also a professional fight instructor, choreographs this scene to the point of hilarity.

The play—which also owes much to Todd Almond for his musical inspiration—focuses on five characters. There’s a tailor named Frank (Matthew Torkilsen), a therapist named Lorenzo (Matthew Read, playing an amorous Italian), a hairdresser named Frances (Gilli Leonard) and her roommate Joan (Katie Dickey). All of them fall under the spell of a young, melancholy banker named Tilly (Tino Dentino). Destino brings a sad, fragile beauty to her world. In Frank’s opening speech, delivered directly to the audience, he makes a “defense of melancholy.” Soon, Tilly chimes in. She notes that “melancholy leads to other illnesses of the mind.” For all the power Tilly seems to draw from her downbeat condition, she is attempting to reverse her fortunes.

Noted playwright Sarah Ruhl often puts an otherworldly twist on reality. Her more well-known plays include The Clean House (2004), which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and In the Next Room (or, the Vibrator Play), which was produced by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in its 2011-2012 season.

‘Melancholy Play’ Shuns Reality

In Melancholy Play, however, Ruhl goes much further out on the limb. All of the characters are driven by emotion. Ruhl emphasizes this fact by constantly bringing up the subject of almonds, which is a nod to the amygdala (part of the brain that controls emotions). It seems “amygdala” is derived from a Greek word for almonds.

One of the play’s characters becomes so depressed that the others wonder if she actually has turned into an almond. (This is not a metaphor. The actors actually cradle an almond, talking to it as if it were their friend.)

Before this “incident” takes place, Tilly makes quite a recovery. Buoyed by her birthday party, which is attended by all of the other characters except Frank, Tilly becomes unbelievably happy. It’s as if a mist has been lifted from her eyes. She practically romps around the set, much to the concern of the other characters. The frail, unhappy innocence of Tilly has evaporated. This forces the other characters to examine their own lives, and why they felt so drawn to Tilly in the first place. They wonder if the adage, “misery loves company,” has some truth to it.

It is exceedingly brave for Marquette University’s theater department to attempt this strange, twisted comedy. The student actors do some terrific work here, with standout performances by Matthew Read as the tempestuous Italian therapist; Gilli Leonard as the somewhat addlebrained hair salon owner; Katie Dickey as an uncharacteristically funny nurse; Matthew Torkilsen as the nerdy Frank; and of course, Tino Dentino as Tilly. Credit also goes to talented cellist Alek Matro-Roland, who is positioned upstage. He provides a musical undercurrent to the proceedings.

Melancholy Play takes place on an otherworldly set by Stephen Hudson-Mairet. Different window shapes float through the air, while other windows are posed rather haphazardly on a wooden backdrop resembling a house. Behind each white-framed window is a dreamy cloudscape. The set is enhanced by David Krajec’s lighting. In addition to cello music, sound designer Kaden Moss adds appropriate ambient sounds. Costumes by Connie Petersen are appropriate for each character.

By the play’s end, Ruhl’s message remains unclear. Is this a joke on human nature? Is this a reflection on the absurdity of life? Does it really matter if people are so ruled by their emotions that they are able to turn into almonds? If anything, Ruhl may be telling us that focusing on one’s own emotional state is less important than being emotionally available to those around us.

Through Nov. 21 at the Helfaer Theatre, 525 N. 13th St. For tickets, visit helfaer.boxoffice@marquette.edu, or call 414-288-7504. Masks are required inside the theater.