Life After
Handling grief at any age can be traumatic, but when you are young and naive to the process and how life can change at any moment, it can affect you forever. Life After powerful production at Goodman Theater narrating how a 16-year-old girl named Alice faces grief after losing her father, will invoke impactful and profound emotional introspections of delight and despair within those who have lost or are losing a loved one. The central character is Alice (Samantha Williams), whose well-known father, Frank Carter (Paul Alexander Nolan), famously authored self-help books. Frank, who is never home, surprises Alice by coming home for her birthday; however, they have an argument when he wants her to change her plans to spend a few hours with him.
She is excited to see him but upset that he devotes more time away from his family, focusing more on his self-help book and conference called "TransforMotion." When he continues to push her to change her plans playfully, she counters by asking him to stay. After he rejects her wishes, Alice's years of frustration of missing her father hit a peek, and she yells, "Go to your stupid conference. Go to TransforMotion! "No one will notice you're gone! But when she hears the news that her father has died, she continuously goes over the events of the day, believing she caused her father's death.
Frank's absence has caused a contrasting relationship with his daughters, Alice, and his older daughter Kate's (Skyler Volpe) youthful adoration has dissipated, causing her to estrange from him. However, Alice is still lovestruck by Frank as her father. Both sisters are struggling with their loss, but only Alice searches for the facts that may reveal a more complicated truth. Beth, the mother, played by the sensational Bryonha Marie Parham, tries to comfort her daughters; however, she must endure all of the barrages of calls, casseroles, and contributions from the Kiwanis Club that she wants to liberate herself from the kind wishes and grief. Jen Sese plays the eccentric teacher Alice loves but wonders if she may have been involved with her father's death. But the star of the night goes to Lucy Panush as Hannah, making her Goodman debut radiant and enchanting idiosyncrasies on stage, was simply captivating.
Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Lauryn Hobbs, and Chelsea Williams are brilliant, playing dual roles, mainly as the dark comical Fury, where Alice's emotions dwelled. Nolan and Williams's stage presence is magical, and both will bring you to tears during their performances.
Unfortunately, the combination of characters using satire and sorrow throughout this play is somewhat enigmatic and perplexing and causes a loss in translation to what is a very stunning narrative. But what does the mind think when faced with the finite realization of death? Is there a proper way to experience this phenomenon of sudden loss? Frank, Alice's father, called it a horrible way to say goodbye. Studies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for grief advocate helping you become aware of your negative thought patterns. During CBT sessions, a therapist might ask you to discuss your thoughts or feelings about your grief, allowing you to focus on concepts universally applicable to human existence, including death, freedom, responsibility, and the meaning of life. Frank's "TRANSFORMOTION" is similar to this process.
“CONTROL MAKES SENSE OF THE SENSELESS MAKES SENSE OF YOURSELF IN THE WORLD. OUR CHALLENGE TODAY IS TO TRY TO LET GO TO TRY TO LET GO, LET GO. WE GIVE UP CONTROL (give it up), AND WE (you’ll) START TO GROW”
Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Direction, Annie Tippe brings her knowledge and masterful direction of the journey of "pain hitting in the middle" into the play. Like most of us who tussled the death, she dealt with being in the hospital with her father—hearing and dealing with difficult news, and how a different perspective of wit and humor can soften the loss.
Canadian-American composer, lyricist, and writer, Britta Johnson, who lost her father at age 13 and had a friend pass away, stated the play Life After isn't autobiographical. However, she reflected on how writing songs enabled her to manage problematic life issues and conversations regarding death with those experiencing the loss of a loved one. The dynamism of time and maturity helped with the evolution of "Life After" to where it has become a richer experience of mental stability and how one deals with grief.
Finally, after allowing this play to simmer overnight intellectually, I'm coming around to understanding Johnson's message within the music that sorrow causes diverse emotions as we grapple with grief. This play will grow on you and relive how you dealt with the sadness of suffering the loss of life and how you continue Life After.
Let's Play Theatrical Review Recommends Life After at Goodman Theatre.
Goodman Theatre
Life After
Written by Britta Johnson
Directed by Annie Tippe
June 11 - July 17, 2022
