author: Leonard Taube
“I want a divorce”. So begins the play Grand Horizons which Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre is putting on in their upstairs In-The-Round space which opened tonight to rousing applause and enthusiastic reception. A relatively recent play written by American playwright, screenwriter, and actress Bess Wohl, Grand Horizons began previews on Broadway on December 23,2019 and opened on January 23, 2020. This play marked Wohl’s Broadway debut and was nominated for the 2020 Tony Award for Best Play.
With a vibe reminiscent of Neil Simon, Grand Horizons centers on the French family; namely, Bill and Nancy French, an older couple living in the Grand Horizons retirement community who, after 50 years of marriage, are left staring down a relationship crisis of mass proportions. One gets the impression that this is one of those growing-in-popularity “Continuing Care Community” type of places where the residents have their own small home/bungalow (there is reference to each one looking surprisingly like the others) but, if/when one’s health fails, there is a place on site you can go (which Bill fearfully talks about, referring to it as someplace you go and die). It starts innocuously enough. Both are setting the table for dinner in such a methodic and calculated manner that one gets the impression they have done this so many times it has become routine to the point of boredom. In fact, they could probably do it in their sleep. Then, after the carefully choregraphed table set (the entire first scene), Nancy casually and calmly announces that she wants a divorce to which her husband of 50 years equally casually and calmly answers “OK”. What happens next is a study in character and introspective reflection that at times is insightful, witty, humorous, raunchy and downright poignant.
Veteran director Linda Chambers boasts an impressive resume and brings her years of experience and seasoned eye to the task of bringing Wohl’s dramedy to life. Chambers has assembled a cast of actors well suited to the material and adeptly keeps the comedy where it should be while showcasing the more dramatic and emotional parts in nuanced ways that ebbs and flows with the scenes, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride of reflection and laughter.
Kudos to props mistress Cathy Kratovil who has proudly assembled a wide range of props for the one room-based set that is the Fench’s senior living bungalow. Props are very important to a set such as this, and they lend a feel of home and hearth. Costumer Eva Grove outfits the characters in age-appropriate attire, in keeping with the times, and Set/Lighting designer G. Maurice “Moe” Conn III has put together an effective realistic representation of what senior living might look like in the fictitious retirement community of Grand Horizons.
Nancy and Bill French are played respectively by Carol Conley Evans and Thom Peters. These two are real-life seniors, not young actors made up to look older, and they bring their years of acting experience to the stage. Lighting up the stage, quite literally, with frenetic pathos and energy, Evans is a tour-de-force of complexity. From her casual request for a divorce after 50 years of marriage at the beginning of the show, to the poignant last moment of the last scene, she employs terrific comedic timing and controlled dramatic outburst with such finesse that one can actually feel her character’s inner torment and understand, dare I say even sympathize with, Nancy French’s pent-up frustration leading to her unusual late-in-life request. Peters, as the dour Bill French, is a perfect foil for Evans’ Nancy. From his casual “OK” response to the divorce request to his attitude when discussing the situation with his two grown sons, telling them both that he would have “just slogged through it” had his wife never made the request, Peters tries his best to keep his emotions in check while at the same time causing one to wonder what’s underneath all that ambivalence and seeming acceptance of such a major change this late in life. I would suspect that the character of Bill is written that way purposely, because his journey through the show is pivotal to gaining an understanding of the man and his feelings towards his family and, indeed, life. There’s more to Bill French than meets the eye and, towards the end, we catch a glimpse of his inner self that bespeaks of a self-awareness and understanding of the needs of others. Watching these two together causes much curiosity, concern, sorrow, understanding, laughter and, finally, hope. They are what drives the show’s plot and drive it they do.
Rounding out the remainder of the cast are the French’s grown sons, gay schoolteacher Brian (played by Sean Kelly), harried lawyer Ben (played by Ted Burke) and Ben’s pregnant therapist wife Jess (played by Stephanie Ranno). There are also two minor supporting characters which only get one scene each. Tommy is a random guy that Brian brings home after a late night out, played by Matthew Sean Mitchell and Carla, Bill’s “girlfriend on the side”, is played by Jennifer Skarzinski.
Kelly’s “Brian” is quite a complicated character, full of muster and bluster. He yells and preaches his way through the show, utterly aghast at his parents’ impending separation as well as reflecting on his parents’ relationship’s influence on his own personal struggles in life. Kelly brings his character’s neurotic yet lonely side thundering to the surface as he relates his struggles in trying to form relationships but continues to fail (note his emotional scene with Mitchell). He throws himself into his work as a theatre teacher in prep for a show with 200 kids. But is that merely a coping mechanism, helping young people to feel warm, included and loved to make up for the lack of same during his upbringing? Kelly plays the role close to the vest, wanting to do the right thing and prepared to make sacrifices to do so, yet struggling to claw his way through layers of dysfunction to finally free himself to experience true happiness and love.
Equally forceful of speech is Burke’s “Ben”. He’s the no-nonsense lawyer about to start a family whose life is turned upside down when the bedrock of his foundation, his parent’s union, is seemingly shattered. While equally dismayed at the splitting up of his mother and father, Ben wants to help (unlike his brother who wants nothing more than for his parents to just dismiss the divorce idea and remain together). Burke minces no words expressing his frustration to his parents, and banters with his brother Brian in often loud and dramatic bursts of frustration. He expertly waffles from astonished son to understanding son, even going so far as to helping his mother plan her “escape” much to the chagrin of his brother. Burke is also forced to face his character’s own relationship with his pregnant wife (Ranno) which is a nuanced union worthy of psychological analysis. Not that Ben is any more happy about what is going on than Brian, but Ben just wants to make things right as much as possible, even if it means using his own money, and Burke goes through his own transition while navigating the status-quo vs evolution dilemma. It’s a quagmire of discovery and frank discussion that one hopes will lead him to a place of self-awareness where he, too, can find release.
Speaking of self-awareness, therapist-wife Jess (Ranno) wants to give due consideration to Nancy and Bill’s feelings and allow them to express themselves, much to the dismay of her husband and brother-in-law who appear to want nothing more than to close their ears to anything and everything but keeping things as they are. Ranno does a good job at navigating between the mother-to-be, wife and therapist even at the sake of her own marriage to Ben. There is an especially introspective scene between Ranno and Burke when Burke points out to her how she’s changed and causes the therapist to realize that she has some self-discovery of herself to do. Ranno is like the outsider, trying to objectively measure the situation and give voice to the concerns of those involved, as she was trained to do; however, she is also a member of the family and this juxtaposition causes for some interesting (and at times tense) drama which Ranno is up to the task for, if for nothing else than to bring some much needed clarity and sanity to an atmosphere of uncertainty and tumult.
Finally, there are those two aforementioned one-scene characters. Mitchell is perfect as the gay Tommy who wants nothing more than to get in Brian’s pants. His role-play (go see the show) is seriously funny, but it’s his conversation with Brian that really brings the scene to a climax. Tommy’s character is meant to bring further exposition into Brian’s complex personality and trouble at forming intimate relationships. While Tommy does his best at first to understand Brian, it becomes clear that he himself has had relationships with men who have issues themselves, something which he’s tired (and wants no part) of. In the end Tommy doesn’t get what he wants, and, while the scene doesn’t really end well for both, we learn a bit more about Brian. Mitchell plays the part well and his speech, body mechanics and swagger are perfect for the role. Skarzinski as “Carla” (Thom’s bit of fluff on the side) is flighty, sweet and sensitive. Her one scene with Evans is brilliant, as the wife and girlfriend discuss the man they both care for. It’s difficult to discuss this scene without giving plot spoilers, so I’ll just say that Skarzinski knows how to make the most of her time on stage and, while there are some quite comedic moments, when she makes her exit one can’t help but wonder, is she a woman with a conscience, or a woman who finally realizes what she’s getting herself into and can’t wait to escape.
Grand Horizons is a complex show. It’s a play about relationships and self-discovery. The brilliance in Wohl’s work lies within the subtext and character development. Yes, the main plot that leads the show is a pending separation of two people after many years of marriage, and yes what happens with that couple is very important, but it’s all about the journey. It’s not only their journey though. It’s how their lives have impacted their children and the men they have become. It’s in how their own relationships with others have been impacted by their parents that the intertwining real story lies. The divorce is a conduit, an event that causes discovery, self-awareness and relationship understanding between everyone. And it’s watching this unfold before your eyes and ears that makes Grand Horizons such a joy to experience. Word of warning to the wary for the prudish amongst us: this show has some “language”. While it works within the context of the show, it might be disturbing to those of a more sensitive nature. But judging from some of the older folks in the opening night audience, they didn’t seem to mind. If that doesn’t bother you, come spend some time with Bill and Nancy French and their family and experience their lives. By the end I guarantee it will leave you feeling good, knowing that it’s never too late to reflect, learn and restart.
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Grand Horizons plays through August 4th 2024 with Cockpit in Court in the upstairs Cabaret Space of The Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex Campus— 7201 Rossville Boulevard, Essex MD. For tickets call the box office at (443) 840-2787 or purchase them online.
