It isn’t surprising for a play about cancer to be moving, tragic and reflective. What can be a surprise, however, is for a cast of high school students to produce such a play with the amount of skill, sensitivity and understanding usually only apparent in professional theaters. Grady’s production of Wit, a play written by Inman Middle School teacher and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Margaret Edson, is a marvel to see.
Wit chronicles the experiences and memories of Vivian Bearing, a stage four ovarian cancer patient, as she undergoes intensive chemotherapy. While the play is set in a medical context, the spirit of the piece is one of poetry. Vivian is a college professor specializing in the poetry of John Donne, and the use of his poetry in the play perfectly establishes Edson’s theme of using wit to hide and muddle the troubles of life that are too hard to face. Like Donne, Vivian is guilty of using her intelligence to avoid inconvenient truths, such as how she doesn’t have family or friends, or how she is unforgiving, contemptuous, and generally hard to like. As she faces death, however, Vivian slowly lets her guard down to reveal her true humanity, and we are left mourning a misguided and wholly original character.
Grady’s Wit is set in an arena stage, where the audience forms a square around the actors. While one might think such a challenging setup would damage the production, upon seeing Wit, it becomes clear that a drifting, abstract set perfectly suits the play. The arena feels natural, effortless, and purposeful, an impressive feat.
Wit expertly conveys not only a drama, but a tragedy. Grady senior Chloe Citron flourishes in the role of Vivian, making the aloof and pretentious character both accessible and relatable. While there is room for improvement in her portrayal of Vivian’s darker side, Citron skillfully shows the vulnerability of a seemingly invincible woman. Her physicality alone is enough to move you to tears, and her use of silence to convey emotion is more effective than words could ever be.
While Citron is undoubtedly the lead of the show, one other actress stood out: senior Camille Williams. Williams established a solid character in nurse Susie Monahan and each of her lines rang true. She made a minor part exceptionally memorable.
At the end of Wit, we are almost inexplicably moved. Vivian should not have been a lovable character, yet we feel sorrow in losing her. Vivian is a tragic anti-hero. Only in the face of death did Vivian appreciate written word for its meaning, rather than its wit. It is this sentiment—the idea that the forces of nature will return a person to the deepest part of being human—that stirs a joyful sadness in us all. The true tragedy is that just when she comes to terms with the world, Vivian is forced to leave it.
Wit will be performed in the Black Box Theater at 7pm on Nov. 5, 6 and 7. There will be a talk back with the award winning playwright, Margaret Edson, on Saturday night after the show.
