Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kathleen Chalfant effortlessly casts a spell in Joan Didion’s THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING

• By drediman
• March 15, 2021
• No Comments

This past weekend, I experienced Kathleen Chalfant take on the stage adaptation Joan Didion’s eloquent memoir The Year of Magical Thinking in a virtual benefit reading for Off-Broadway’s Keen Company. The book, originally published in 2005, chronicles the year of grief following the death of the writer’s husband John Dunne, which coincided with her daughter’s drastically deteriorating health. In 2007, the piece was adapted by Ms. Didion for the stage; the solo play’s Broadway outing was directed by playwright David Hare and featured the great Vanessa Redgrave, who received accolades for her performance.

Grappling with the loss of a loved one is something that we all must deal with at one point in our life or another. This reality, which Ms. Didion smartly points out right off the bat, injects a universality to the memoir before she launches into the specifics of her own situation. What makes the work such a fascinating portrait is the author’s level-headed demeanor and considerable ability to articulate arguments and feelings. As a result, The Year of Magical Thinking depicts the act of mourning with uncommon transparency and sensitivity. Any emotion that’s arrived at has been earned through rigorous debate and rational self-reflection.

I can hardly think of a more ideal actress to pair with the play than Ms. Chalfant. Whenever I see this intelligent, quietly commanding actress take the stage, I know I’m in good hands. Indeed, her performance here uncannily captures the literary cadence of Didion’s writing and thought process, effortlessly casting a spell that remains unbroken throughout. Ms. Chalfant takes the time to carefully render the precisely wrought passages – laying bare Ms. Didion’s capacity for truthfulness and fortitude – often times pausing just long enough to let the text breathe and register the emotional resonance that resides between the lines.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING
Theater / On-Demand
Keen Company
1 hour, 45 minutes (without an intermission)
On-demand through March 17