Nearly 20 years ago, Buried Child took America by storm. Playwright Sam ShepardÆs fresh voice was an energizing wake-up call for theater audiences. Buried Child is one of several plays Shepard wrote about the American family during this period. It is an allegorical play, full of raw energy, tension and surreal elements. Filled with contradictions, strange behaviors and a shocking secret, it entranced audiences and won the Pulitzer Prize. So how does it hold up? Today's audiences, accustomed to TV talk-show confessions (think "Jerry Springer," Sally," etc.) are perhaps not as jarred by the "secret" concealed by this dysfunctional family. Wisely, director Andrew Traister has focused more attention on the family dynamics than the fact an infant is buried in the backyard. He has crafted one of the most memorable productions ever staged at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The intimate confines of the Stiemke Theater work perfectly to create the setting for this modern masterpiece. In the well-worn living room of a barren Illinois farm, Dodge, the ailing patriarch, wheezes and coughs as he carries out a conversation with his wife Halie, located offstage. This arrangement allows the audience to observe Dodge's sneaky, self-destructive behavior. He lies about taking his medicine while surreptitiously taking puffs from a cigarette or swigs from a whiskey bottle hidden in the couch cushions. Much of their discussion is about Tilden, the oldest son. He has come home to roost after getting into some sort of trouble in New Mexico. Once a local celebrity as the winning halfback of his high school football team, Tilden is a shell of his former self. He appears dazed, confused and his mental capacities seem somewhat limited. There's a brutish younger son, Bradley, who has lost a leg in a chainsaw accident. He is expected to appear at any minute. Dodge is afraid to fall asleep on the couch, since he knows Bradley, an amateur barber, won't bother to wake him for a haircut. The effect of this tension-filled setting is further heightened by the unexpected arrival of Vince, Tilden's adult son, and Vince's girlfriend. Vince has come home to touch base with his roots but is mystified to discover that neither his father nor his grandfather is willing to admit his identity. A talented cast delivers a seamless production under Andrew Traister's top-notch direction. The characters' increasingly bizarre behaviors are so carefully constructed, their impact is allowed to build during each scene. The result is explosive, with the audience swept along by the force of these improbable events. Portrayals are so well balanced that characters cannot neatly be divided into "good" and "evil." The most virtuous character is probably Vince's girlfriend (Deborah Staples). Her reactions are key to the production's success, since her comments typically mirror what the audience might say in the same situation. On arrival, she teases Vince about the bucolic nature of the surroundings. Her laughter quickly turns to fear as she meets some of the home's occupants. She is terrified of Dodge, Tilden and Bradley. Equally alarmed for reasons of his own, Vince (Brian Vaughn) moves toward the door. Brian Vaughn excels at revealing all the conflicting emotions within Vince's character. He is confused, distraught, worried and clueless as to how the family's mental health took such a nosedive. However, the centerpiece of this production is Dodge, the patriarch (Jim Baker). Baker captivates us in the first scene, and he clearly earns our sympathy despite his self-destructive behavior. Like Tilden (Jonathan Smoots), Dodge is a faded image of the man he once was. He has few satisfactions to comfort him in his old age and certainly can't be a proud father, given how the boys turned out (and how they continue to enrage him, even now). He is also disappointed in his wife, Halie (Laurie Birmingham), who played a pivotal role in creating the family secret. In the climax of Buried Child. Shepard seems to be saying that families should resist the urge to bury their secrets. Inevitably, they will be (literally) unearthed. Only when the secret is out can healing begin.
Opened:
October 14, 2001
Ended:
November 4, 2001
Country:
USA
State:
Wisconsin
City:
Milwaukee
Company/Producers:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Theater Type:
Regional
Theater:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater - Stiemke Theater
Theater Address:
108 East Wells Street
Phone:
(414) 224-9490
Running Time:
2 hrs, 30 min
Genre:
Drama
Director:
Andrew Traister
Review:
Parental:
mild profanity
Cast:
Duane Leake, Hans Gieseker, Doug Frank, Lucinda Moaney
Technical:
Set: Geoffrey Curley; Costumes: Frances Maggio; Lighting: Joseph Appelt; Sound: Douglas Hillard.
Awards:
Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Critic:
Anne Siegel
Date Reviewed:
October 2001
