A lot of things break in Lisa Kron's play, Well: the fourth wall, the scenery, theatrical conventions, hearts. Pirandello rides again; then the show breaks with him into forms that even he never saw as it breaks the patterns set up with the audience by Kron, who has structured a good show as she breaks structure.
Kron, a strong performer playing herself, gives us her relationship with her mother expressed through the question: "Why do some sick people get well and others don't?"
Her mother is played by the amazing Jayne Houdyshell who doesn't have a moment that isn't believable to the core. These two play it real, and the other four other actors in the retrospectives of youth and illness conjured up start off by playing their roles as cartoons. Later they become realer, especially Christina Kirk who has great range and depth.
The set by Tony Walton is as fragmented as the play, and it all works, as do the creative costumes by Miranda Hoffman. The play, under the very innovative direction of Leigh Silverman, has a healthy message, a political message, a human message, and it's still a theatrical entertainment that will engage you and give you lots of smiles and some profound feelings.
