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Written by Michael Muckian, Contributing writer
Feb 10, 2012
Ruth Schudson and Mark Ulrich in Next Act Theater's ''Vigil.'' – Photo: Courtesy
Opinions differ, but actor Edmund Gwenn is generally attributed with the epithet, "Dying is easy; comedy is hard."
Gay Canadian playwright Morris Panych brings the two absolutes together in "Vigil," his darkly lit, yet deeply touching, comedy being produced by Milwaukee's Next Act Theatre through Feb. 26.
The premise is as simple as the narrative is deep. The elderly Grace (Milwaukee actor Ruth Schudson) is dying. She summons nephew Kemp (Chicago actor Mark Ulrich), her closest living relative, to her bedside to keep vigil during her final days.
It is the first time the pair have seen each other in 30 years, owing to a perceived slight Kemp suffered years ago at his elderly aunt's hand. The pair have little time to do a lot of catching up, not all of which is pleasant.
But things don't quite work out that way.
"This is a comedy, but it's very dark," says director Mary MacDonald Kerr, who directed this season's "Going to St. Ives" for Next Act. "It's also hysterically funny, and I have two glorious actors who make it so."
The idea for the play grew from an actual experience that Panych and his partner Ken MacDonald had when visiting MacDonald's mother in a hospital, Kerr says. A woman in the next bed was dying. At one point a nurse came in to tell her that the nephew she requested a visit from refused to come.
"There was a pause and the nurse said, 'Shall I wipe away that tear for you, dear?'" Kerr says. "It's heartbreaking to think this woman was dying and had only a nephew to share it with, but it was from this kernel that Panych got the idea for his play."
As expected, given that "Vigil" is a comedy, the two characters are as different as day and night. Grace has less than a dozen lines in the entire play, which puts the onus for communication on Kemp, a person not used to talking. Now, finally given the chance to speak, Kemp finds he has no self-edit button, Kerr says.
"Kemp is a social misfit who struggles with his sexual identity, and this apparently is the first time anyone has bothered to listen to him," Kerr says. "It's almost a coming-of-age opportunity for the character and he takes advantage of it."
Ulrich, who plays the character, agrees. "Kemp drops everything to come and be with an aunt he hasn't seen in 30 years, but his bedside manner has an expiration date and she doesn't hold up her end of the bargain," the actor says.
The pair spend more time together than either of them first anticipated, and a relationship develops. Kemp's unruly, self-centered insensitivity begins to soften and change, the actor says.
"Kemp does all the talking, of course, so the change is self-granted," Ulrich says. "After the experience does change him, and I like to think it's been a positive change."
The arguments, inappropriate comments and gallows humor that mark the play is not out of line with what happens in real-life situations, says Kerr, who underwent something similar in her own life.
"Some years back, my brother, sister and I sat with our father for five days as he died, and we found ourselves fatigued, emotional and facing absurd situations that bring out all sorts of behavior, including humor," Kerr says. "As a society, we do a great job preparing people to bring a life into the world, but a really lousy job preparing anyone in helping usher a life out."
With very few lines, Schudson would seem to have the more difficult role. But for the veteran Milwaukee performer, last seen in the title role of Chamber Theater's production of "Driving Miss Daisy," it posed no challenge whatsoever.
"My favorite thing about acting is listening and reacting, and I get to do that a lot here," Schudson says. "(Ulrich's) character is so wordy and off-the-wall that one becomes fascinated with what he has to say."
Despite her relative silence, Grace is always the one in control, Kerr says. Like Kemp, Grace also evolves with the lengthening relationship. Both characters walk away better people than when they started.
"I hope the audience doesn't let the darkness scare them," Kerr says. "The play is also very moving and people will feel great when they leave the theater."
On stage
Next Act Theater's production of Morris Panych's "Vigil" runs through Feb. 26 at Next Act's new facility at 255 S. Water St. For tickets and info, go to www.nextact.org.
