‘Witch,’ A Devilishly Fun Dark Comedy, Comes to Renaissance Theaterworks

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Witch is a new dark comedy that comes just in time for the fall season. The latest from the company is witty, darkly funny and full of magic. Jen Silverman’s signature writing style takes on the theme of hope when it’s hard to find. This seasonally appropriate show is a representation of the spirit of October, full of witches, devils, drama, and more. 

Witch at Renaissance Theaterworks runs through Nov. 12 at 255 S. Water St. For tickets and more information, visit r-t-w.com/shows/witch.

This latest show is the perfect choice for a company dedicated to highlighting the talents of women in theater. “Jen Silverman’s plays absolutely delight me. One of the many remarkable things about her work is that she writes about women, often women over 40, authentically. She writes about the desire to be visible and valued,” says Renaissance’s Artistic Director Suzan Fete. “Witch is the third Silverman play produced by Renaissance Theaterworks. The show has something for everyone. Devilish fun for Halloween, amazing acting and a complex and contemporary story that’s a perfect fit for right now.”

A stand-out component of the upcoming show is the team of local professionals and exceptional cast. “Renaissance has a great team of dedicated professionals who are all eager to produce this great play. Witch is a complex show, with multiple locations, dual story lines,and lots of props,” says Fete. “I love rehearsal, particularly when I get to work with such a fabulous team. Our new venue is well-appointed with everything needed to create excellent work but still intimate.”

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Witch is a show with aspects for everyone to relate to. It’s full of clever dialogue and honest emotion which makes it appealing to any theatergoer. An adaptation of the Jacobean play The Witch of Edmonton (1621), Silverman maintains Witch’s old-world setting, premise and characters but she cleverly uses 21st century language, emotional complexity and lots of humor to explore it. “This allows us to watch the play’s despair, and hopelessness without feeling hopeless ourselves,” says Fete. “Right now, it feels like we are bombarded with a constant stream of horrible and emotionally draining stories from the news, from social media and often from our entertainment. And I understand why audiences don’t want to come to the theater to be bombarded again.”

This show is a comedy that keeps audiences both reflective and refreshed. “Comedy is a powerful weapon against despair. It allows us to think and talk about very hard things while simultaneously protecting us as we do it,” says Fete. “Witch is not a light comedy. It looks truthfully at the human condition in all its complex and frightening glory, but it doesn’t damage us in the process. And that’s why I love it.”