Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Stellar performances and a crisp production bring out the best in LUCY, Erica Schmidt’s domestic tug-of-war play

• By drediman
• February 13, 2023
• No Comments

This past weekend, I attended a performance of the new play Lucy by Erica Schmidt. Presented by Audible Theater (which has taken up residence Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre), the slippery work depicts the unfolding relationship between Mary, a rigid, by-the-books radiologist and Ashling, the carefree nanny she hires to care for her daughter — the titular Lucy —- and newborn son.

Over the course of the stealthy and increasingly tense evening, the audience pays witness to the escalating tug-of-war dynamics between Mary and Ashling. Unsurprisingly, the play ends up in a domestic battle royal between the two fundamentally different personalities. Although there are elements of comedy of manners and dark comedy evident in Lucy, the play ultimately eludes easy classification, which is a testament to the thoughtful nuances of Ms. Schmidt’s writing, particularly her careful character-building. Through small mis-truths, subtle jealousies, and occasional misunderstandings, the playwright builds a case for each character as both victim and aggressor, all the while — in a more general manner — critiquing the moral codes of being a woman, an employer, worker, and mother.

Although the play’s conclusion could be tweaked to provide more satisfying closure and there are a few holes in the plotting, I found much of the production compelling, thanks mainly to some stellar performances and a crisply naturalistic production (Ms. Schmidt also directs). As Mary and Ashling, Brooke Bloom and Lynn Collins are stellar, both of whom give finely calibrated performances that are exaggerated just enough to heighten the drama to just the right pitch.

RECOMMENDED

LUCY
Off-Broadway, Play
Audible Theater at Minetta Lane Theatre
1 hour, 45 minutes (without an intermission)
Through February 25