Little Bear Ridge Road needs no help
Ensemble member Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock in Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere of Little Bear Ridge Road by Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Joe Mantello. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
Samuel D. Hunter’s latest world premiere, Little Bear Ridge Road, at Steppenwolf Theatre is something to behold with Laurie Metcalf’s perfect comedic timing and exuberant curmudgeon-with-a-heart persona playing opposite Micah Stock’s deadpan but never lazy snark. Little Bear Ridge Road marks Metcalf’s return to Steppenwolf as an original member of Steppenwolf Theatre and leaves audiences begging, don’t go anywhere.
Directed by Joe Mantello, Little Bear Ridge Road tells the story of the last two remaining members of the Fernsby family in rural Idaho. After Ethan’s (Micah Stock) father dies and leaves the estate to be settled by his estranged son, he is reunited with his aunt Sarah (Laurie Metcalf) while trying to come to terms with what is left of their bonds and if those bonds are even worth the effort. Filled with humor and the bitingly honest fear of being a person in today’s world, Little Bear Ridge Road encompasses our anxieties of connection, becoming a burden, and whether love is worth it in the end.
The epitome of how dark comedy should be done, this play in the hands of others could have gutted detrimentally, but the weaving of simplistic joy gave the audience space to breathe, recover, and connect with the characters on stage without fearing their wounds that may never heal.
The simplicity of the set and lighting fed into the ease with which the actors had with each other and the availability of emotions portrayed on stage. A single couch, a ceiling fan, light and sound cues mimicking television sets. This is theatre, this is the imagination working properly.
In between Cloroxing and vacuuming away the dread of facing the truth, Laurie Metcalf’s character rails that she “had a long time to accept the person that I am”. And yet despite the forced space between the two relatives and issues of abandonment, guilt, and a shared wish to be set free, these two characters may know who they are, but very much would have hoped to not be aliens in the end. Their shared deficiency of burden always pushing others away when they really just need to say their most dreaded word, help.
The sold-out crowd on opening night raucously laughed, shed enough tears to sniffle, and in the end gave a collective sigh of relief as all seemed as well as one could hope for two people in a world meant to tear us to shreds. Never have I walked away from a production feeling so wholly satisfied with the story told, with the themes explored, with the portrayals on stage.
Little Bear Ridge Road has already been extended until Aug 4 at Steppenwolf Theatre. Single tickets start at $20. For tickets and more information, visit their website or call the box office at 312-335-1650.
