Written entirely by theauthor, the stage adaptation of Didion's TheYear of Magical Thinking is an exhaustive look into the nature of mourning.Elegantly crafted phrases tumble out of Norment and into an audience that issniffling throughout a monologue that runs without intermission. The momentsare subtly painted around the edges by the delicate sound design of JohnTanner.
The title refers to astage in Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' five stages of griefwhat Kübler-Ross referredto as “bargaining.” It's at this stage that people try to adjust seeminglyunrelated thoughts and behaviors in hopes that it will get them more time withthe deceased. The script never acknowledges Kübler-Ross, and while Didion'slanguage is far more poetic than that of Kübler-Ross, there's little insightbeyond the poetry.
Norment speaks elegantlyabout hospitals, pharmaceuticals, medical procedures and the nature of loss,but if the book offers any further insights, they haven't made it into thescript. Normant can do little but ride the frustrated intellectual energy ofone of the 20th century's most beloved authors. Despite a poised, talentedactress at its center, and an emotional core of a woman attempting to deal withthe loss of a loved one and the terminal illness of another, the productionfeels somewhat empty.
With its unflinchingfocus on the loss of Didion's husband, this could be a powerful experience forpeople who have recently lost a loved one. But those who haven't likely won'tfeel a strong connection. Unfortunately, of the three one-actor shows currentlybeing staged in Milwaukee,this one probably has the least to offer the general public.
The Milwaukee Rep'sproduction of The Year Of MagicalThinking runs through Nov. 8 at the Stiemke Theater.
