Walden
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Cititour.com Review
Have you ever received a beautifully and thoughtfully wrapped gift only to open it up and find a pair of socks or Hallmark mug inside the package, leading to perhaps inordinate disappointment. Unfortunately, “Walden,” Amy Berryman’s new play at Second Stage’s Tony Kiser Theatre under Whitney White’s mostly sturdy direction, proves to be the theatrical equivalent of that experience.
Despite the presence of a shiny, futuristic house which sits on stage as we enter the theater (beautifully designed by Matt Saunders) and some occasionally provocative talk about climate change and the need to protect the earth, “Walden” ends up being little more than a rather conventional drama about squabbling sisters (played by the luminous film and TV star Emmy Rossum, in her Off-Broadway debut, and a hard-nosed yet vulnerable Zoe Winters). Indeed, while quite different factually, “Walden” is ultimately reminiscent of many daytime dramas, which are full of constantly battling siblings. (If like me, you are currently watching ABC’s “General Hospital,” you know exactly what I mean.)
As the show begins, Stella (Rossum) is in the dark, outside of the house “in the American wilderness” that she shares with domestic partner Bryan (a winning Motell Foster). She’s listening to national news on her cell phone, which includes the details of a mega-tsunami that has killed millions on the East Coast, as well as the return of a manned mission to the moon.
As we soon learn, the leader of that mission is Stella’s twin sister, Cassie (Winters), who is soon to arrive at Stella’s house, marking their first communication of any sort in one year. Is it cause for celebration or, as Stella seems to indicate, dread? Or will be a little bit of both?
First, it turns out both Stella and Cassie are the daughters of a famous, now-dead astronaut, and have followed in his footsteps in participating in the space program. Just how they participated – and their commitment to NASA -- have played out ends up being the major source of the sisters’ disagreement.
Stella is also nervous about introducing Cassie to Bryan, since he’s an “earth advocate,” meaning that he tries to live as naturally as possible (as a compromise to Stella, they have a car, electricity and a 20th-century toilet, but he won’t look at computers or cell phones). More importantly, he objects to America using its resources (economic and otherwise) on space exploration rather than trying to save our planet. Yet, somehow, it doesn’t feel surprising that, despite their differing views, Bryan and Cassie end up getting along extraordinarily well.
To say too much more would be to spoil the other plot twists Berryman has put in place to try to keep us interested in this modest three-character drama for 90 minutes. Perhaps she needed a few more, since even at its short length, “Walden” has some dry spells. Plus, the character of Bryan could use some more depth and a filled-out backstory in order for us to fully invest in him.
Luckily, though, the play – whose title proves to have multiple meanings -- isn’t all wet. Indeed, “Walden” may be worth the trip for fans of Rossum and some adventurous theatergoers.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
https://2st.com/
Open/Close Dates
Opening 11/7/2024
Closing Open-ended
Theatre Info
Tony Kiser Theatre
305 West 43rd Street
Neighborhood: West 40s
New York, NY 10036
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