Rediscovering Love

Come Back Little Sheba

Renowned playwright, novelist and Pulitzer Prize recipient, William Inge was known as the Playwright of the Midwest. His first big Broadway hit during the 1950’s is this story about a frustrated, middle-aged married couple’s resolution to put their troubled past behind them, finally move forward toward a better future and rediscover their love. The drama is a stirring, often sad story about lost youth and shattered dreams. Doc and Lola who, by the end of this play, have sunk as low as they can go, try to salvage a slice of hope from the ruins of the past.

In an attempt to help with their finances, Doc and Lola converted the dining room of their home into an extra bedroom, in order to rent it out to transient tenants. Marie, a pretty, young college student, is their first and present lodger. The middle-aged couple both enjoy treating the smart, perky young woman like the daughter they wish they had. Marie’s encouraged to eat breakfast with the couple, is often given use of the living room for receiving guests and hosting study dates and is frequently counseled and offered advice by the Delaneys.

Symbolizing Lola’s lost youth and motherhood, Sheba is Lola’s beloved little dog who ran away and has sadly never returned. When left alone at home, while feeling imprisoned in her own house, Lola occasionally steps outside onto the front porch and calls for Little Sheba to come back. But, although Lola hopes for Little Sheba to return, it’s to no avail. So, to pass the lonely hours alone, Lola attempts to strike up friendly  conversations with the milkman, the postman, her next-door neighbor and anyone whose path she may cross. Although she tries valiantly to hide it, Lola is a despondent and depressed woman whose only joy in life is her husband.  

Doc is a recovering alcoholic. Over the years, he’s been quietly harboring an unreasonable resentment toward his wife for an unplanned pregnancy, back when he was still in college. It resulted in having to give up his hopes of a medical career in order to marry Lola. But then, to add insult to injury, Lola tragically lost the baby. So Doc turned to the bottle. Sober for almost a year, Doc now has his own chiropractic office and continues to attend AA meetings. Lola constantly encourages her husband in his battle for sobriety by asking him to recite the AA prayer aloud and praising him for his valor. But Doc is like Lola in that he’s afraid to confront his regrets and lost dreams.

Ensemble member Elyse Dolan directs this classic drama from the 1950’s by staging it in the intimate, 31-seat American Blues Studio Theater. To make the story feel up close and personal for the audience, she’s created an immersive production wherein theatergoers are seated inside the Delaney living room. Scenic designer Shayna Patel has designed a setting that envelopes the whole theater space. While depicting the living room, kitchen and Marie’s bedroom, the walls are transparent. The wooden two-by-fours purposely resemble a barred cage. In this way, Ms. Patel emphasizes the idea that Lola is trapped, imprisoned in her house. It’s a clever metaphor that helps the audience appreciate how restrained and stifled Lola has become in her married life.

While the close proximity of the audience to the actors throughout the play works well in helping us understand and empathize with these characters, there’s also a feeling of intrusiveness. Theatergoers seated in certain locations may experience some discomfort being so close to the action. In particular, the extreme physical violence that takes place near the end of the play would be a shocking and nerve-racking experience, even in a proscenium production. But when one character physically and verbally abuses, batters and attempts to murder another character—only a few inches away from audience members—it can be a little unnerving, to say the least.

The excellent cast is led by two etremely talented ensemble members. As Doc, Philip Earl Johnson, (ON CLOVER ROAD; THE COLUMNIST, both at American Blues; AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, at the Goodman) is at times both strong and needy. And as Lola, Gwendolyn Whiteside (ON CLOVER ROAD; IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, both at American Blues), is magnificent, sad and vulnerable. Director Elyse Dolan is certainly blessed to have such two incredibly talented veteran actors  to guide and tell William Inge’s story. In supporting roles, attractive and appealing American Blues artistic affiliate Maya Lou Hlava (THINGS WITH FRIENDS at American Blues; PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC at Northlight) is a breath of fresh air and absolutely delightful as Marie.

Handsome Ethan Serpan makes his auspicious debut at American Blues Theater as Marie’s hunky classmate and current boy toy, Turk. As Bruce, Marie’s more serious boyfriend from her hometown, Justin Banks is very good. Proud ensemble member Joslyn Jones is excellent and natural as Mrs. Coffman, the Delaney’s kind, but tactless, neighbor. Cisco Lopez is humorous as the Milkman, William Anthony Sebastian Rose II nicely plays Elmo the Postman and Zach Shultz gives a powerful performance as Ed, Doc’s AA mentor.

Some may call COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA dated. I disagree. We still enjoy the great plays by Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and plenty of other writers from yesteryear. They all have something to say to theatergoers about life and the human condition. This play is a reminder for many of us of what American life was like before microwave ovens, online classes and streaming on television. In the 1950’s, WWII had recently ended and the country was still trying to heal wounds. It was a time when laundry was washed and hung outside to dry, when a hot meal needed to be prepared on the stovetop, when dairy products could be purchased from a milkman and when folks enjoyed home entertainment when the family gathered together around the radio. Life then was slower then and much simpler, especially in the heartland. People actually held conversations and talked to one another, instead of always having their noses stuck in a cell phone. And, thanks to playwrights like William Inge, there’s plenty of entertainment and a lot to be learned about ourselves through this story. It’s a textured look at two damaged people who are simply trying to overcome a troubled past together and rediscover their love.       

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented February 6-March 22 by American Blues Theater in their Studio Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 773-654-3103 or by going to www.americanbluestheater.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.