The Rep’s “The Other Place” is a very complex, absorbing drama, well worth seeing and talking about afterwards. In particular, there are two extraordinarily good performances from Robyn Brookes and Scott Nell, as a husband and wife going through a major crisis in the wife’s life when she suddenly begins to fall apart. Thus, it’s a virtual two-hander.
Unfortunately, it’s a play that one cannot give too much away for spoiling the ending. Miss Brooks is Juliana, a fiercely independent research scientist who suddenly becomes aware she cannot distinguish between what is real and what isn’t. Her husband Ian does everything he can to support and comfort her which tests his patience enormously, in the many tense scenes between them. This only exacerbates her problems as her moods constantly change. Memory failure sends her out of control.
Both actors give outstanding performances as their characters’ lives turn to desperation. Thus, the plot concentrates on dementia, and its devastating effects, an illness less publicly discussed than cancer these days.
Director, David Sinclair says he chose the play which premiered off Broadway in 2011 and on Broadway in 2014 because he suffered similar problems within his own family background. It’s a 90 minute production with no interval. Tegan Gully Crispe and Brendan Cooney make up the cast, but I mustn’t explain their roles as it will give away too much. “The Other Place” refers to the family’s get away cottage near Cape Cod.
HURRY to catch this brilliant production.
