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The story begins when Iris Delroy (Jan Rogge) discovers that her recently deceased husband has a secret credit card that carries substantial debt. Despite the influence of her overbearing sister-in-law Liddie (Marilyn Lynch) and the insistence of her children Chuck (Coleman Crenshaw) and Erica (Jessica Franz), Iris refuses to determine the reason for the debt—even as more mysterious debts mount. Erica has brought her own secrets home with her along with her girlfriend, Nif (Katie Ligon). The day of the funeral the tension boils over and more secrets are revealed.

While the production displayed a few early-run bumbles, the overall talent of the cast carried the heavy overtones of the situation. Beginning seriously, the plot escalates with a tremendous amount of yelling. As each character breaks down, the actors project raw emotions of rage and sorrow. Like caged beasts, they stalk the stage and the busy crossings exhibit the chaos within. It was exhausting to watch.

Rogge leads the cast with Iris’ stalwart devotion to denial. Though her gestures and outbursts seem forced from time to time, she displays the fragility of a woman whose life was suddenly upside down and coping with it the way she has always coped—by not addressing or resolving the issues at hand.

Crenshaw delivers an incredibly subtle performance as the seemingly aimless grown son living at home. Chuck is more honest and emotionally available than the women surrounding him and his shrewd philosophizing makes sense. Chuck shares touching moments with Iris, Erica and Nif as he is the only person willing to let down their guard in this emotional battlefield. These introspective moments are quite brief and are among the few respites in the play.

In contrast, Ligon plays Nif a bit stilted and cute. The relationship between her and Erica never rings true and when the inevitable happens it is hardly a surprise. Ligon does, however, have some of the choicest lines in the work and delivers them well.

Lynch’s Liddie is delightfully annoying as the quintessential nattering old biddy. When she finally implodes, it is that much more disarming. Franz’s Erica is brusque yet pleading, the poster child of the emotionally weak putting up a front of strength in the form of rudeness, hurting others before they can hurt her. Both are bullies, one verbose and the other curt; their clashes contribute to a tiring atmosphere.

The few funny moments hardly dispel the angst of the show, despite clever metaphors and solidly humorous lines. This is a deeply troubled family and it seems that none of them are capable of coping with each other even at the best of times. The shtick of the “rules for widows” would have been more effective had more “rules” been presented before yet another explosion.

The play has gone through a few evolutions; this world premiere production was directed by Karen Paisley. The sturdy but worn furniture of the set design by Greg Owen and Paisley create the impression of a steady, simple family life—an image that is quickly dispelled by the chaos of this dysfunctional group.

The questions raised by the play are never answered, but at least the characters start to seek the truth. 

REVIEW:
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
Rules for Widows
Runs through October 2, 2011; Reviewed Saturday, September 10 at 7:30pm
3614 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri
For more information go to www.metkc.org or call 816-569-3226

Top Photo: JAn Rogge as Iris Delroy in Rules for Widows

By Libby Hanssen

Traditional and New Classical, Theatre Contributor

Libby Hanssen holds degrees from University of Missouri-Kansas City (M.M.) and Ball State University (B.M.) in trombone performance and also studied music education at Indiana University. She has studied trombone with Carl Lenthe, JoDee Davis, John Seidel, John Huntoon and Denis Wick, and music education with Brent Gault, Estelle Jorgensen and Katherine Strand.

While at IU, she taught classes in general music, focusing on listening skills and music fundamentals through practical music usage and exploring new sound constructions. During the course of her studies at UMKC, she performed with many ensembles, including the Conservatory Orchestra and Musica Nova. She has also performed with the Kansas City Puccini Festival, the People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, the New Jazz Order, the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010, she was a fellow (one of 23 journalists selected from across the US) for the seventh annual National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera at Columbia University’s Journalism School in New York City.

Most of her free time is spent with her three boys (son, dog and husband) and camera, exploring the many fine aspects of Kansas City living. She enjoys listening to KKFI - Kansas City Community Radio and KCUR - Kansas City's NPR station, visiting Kansas City's fine collection of museums and galleries, and scavenging in thrift and antique stores to add to her collection of toy instruments.

She writes for the joy of words and the process of constructing a story, maintaining the blog Proust Eats a Sandwich (www.prousteatsasandwich.wordpress.com). She is working on her first book: Murray Goes to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.