Last week I was in Manhattan to watch a play I had read a year earlier in my introduction to Modern Theatre class.
'night, Mother is a play by Marsha Norman and it is about a mother and a daughter's relationship. When I read this plays I thought the writing was superb. I thought it would be so amazing to be able to play the character of Jesse, so psychologically complex, out of control with her emotions and yet so sure about her decision to take her own life. Suicide is an unspeakable act in society, you are not only killing yourself but leaving behind distraught and fragile family members and close friends who will never alleviate the pain of losing you for reasons you decided to take with yourself.
That night I cried almost from beginning to end, obviously because I already knew the end of the story, but mostly because the actresses fire these characters to life, unraveling physical and emotional traits that made them unique, human and appealing to my emotions in a much deeper way than the play could.
'night, Mother is produced by the White Horse Theater Company and is being performed at the Hudson Guild Theatre Space May 3-19
Starring Joy Franz as Thelma and Laura Siner as her daughter, Jessie.
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