'Grangeville' review — delicate drama brings estranged brothers together
Read our review of Grangeville off Broadway, a new play by award-winning writer Samuel D. Hunter starring Paul Sparks and Brian J. Smith at Signature Theatre.
Samuel D. Hunter’s Grangeville, a delicately drawn and deftly acted drama about a fractured family, focuses on estranged half-brothers who reluctantly reconnect. Yes, we’ve been down this dramatic stretch of road before.
Although Hunter’s story has an undeniable, previously lived-in quality, it’s invigorated by his signature perception and compassion. His dialogue is so real and plainspoken it can take you by surprise and sting.
A conversation in darkness starts director Jack Serio’s staging. Blue-collar Jerry (Paul Sparks), who’s in his 50s and has never left the titular city, has phoned his younger gay half-sibling, Arnold (Brian J. Smith), an artist who moved to the Netherlands about two decades earlier. Jerry reveals that their mother is dying, Medicaid hasn’t covered the bills, and Mom made Arnie the executor of her estate. “God, one last middle finger before she dies, huh?” moans Arnie.
Arnie’s wounds tied to Mom’s cruelty and Jerry’s abuse because of his sexuality are vividly fresh. The big question, predictably, is whether the brothers can reconcile their past. Turns out they’re both adrift and alone. Jerry has split from his wife. Career-stalled Arnold is living apart from his husband.
Relationships all play out amid bursts of anger, remorse, and acts of contrition. In a device Hunter used in his extraordinary 2022 play A Case for the Existence of God, Sparks and Smith morph into the brothers’ respective spouses with nothing more than a subtle shift in accent and attitude. The shapeshifting lacks the gasp-worthy impact as before. But it’s a moving reminder of how lives intertwine, despite time, place, and circumstance.
Grangeville summary
Like Hunter’s earlier Off-Broadway works, Grangeville takes place in his home state of Idaho. It’s his go-to theatrical universe to explore the complexities of American life. In this intimate, character-driven portrait of two half-brothers indelibly tied by past traumas, the play resonates beyond the specific context of the Gem State.
What to expect at Grangeville
Hunter is famous for stories that glue you tight with their quiet urgency, not flash and fireworks. Grangeville stays true to form. The 90-minute one-act comes to life in a series of one-on-one interactions that at times become very intense.
Bare scenery by the design collective dots accentuates the story. Essentially, it’s an empty gray area with a shabby door, a fitting place for a play that summons achy memories and shaky relationships. Stacey Derosier’s shadowy shards of light add distinct textures.
There may be an art to living amid crushing struggles, a theme underscored by Arnold’s career. His breakthrough works are three-dimensional models inspired by memories of places he left behind in Grangeville: a Dairy Queen, a pawn shop, a tattoo parlor. Brace yourself for an ingenious scene that bridges past and present and blurs the line between real life and a diorama that hits close to home.
What people are saying about Grangeville
With an 88% rating on Show-Score at the time of publication, Grangeville has been speaking to audiences.
- “Another arresting play by Samuel D. Hunter, one of our best modern chroniclers of alienation of those in the heartland of the country, esp Idaho.” Show-Score user Bruce_ 6
- “A moving and intimate play about dealing with your past while adapting [to] what your future can be.” Show-Score user Bobby_Baby
- “Though not my favorite Hunter play, this is an admirably touching, sweet-and-sad duet performed by two terrific actors (I can't imagine Brendan Fraser in Sparks’s role!).” Show-Score user Ashowgoer
Read more audience reviews of Grangeville on Show-Score.
Who should see Grangeville
- Fans of Hunter’s previous plays, including A Bright New Boise and The Whale, will want to see the latest chapter in his ongoing Idaho-set series of plays.
- Audience members keen on seeing two actors doing great work will definitely want to catch Smith (Good Boys and True) and Sparks (Dusk Rings a Bell), who stepped in when The Whale Oscar winner Brendan Fraser left the production.
- Devotees of family dramas will appreciate how Hunter puts his own stamp on the common theatrical genre.
Learn more about Grangeville off Broadway
While Hunter’s new play digs into much-mined dramatic territory, it highlights the universal desire for connection, belonging and understanding.
Photo credit: Grangeville off Broadway. (Photos by Emilio Madrid)
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