Four Places is a tense family drama, played out over a lunch conversation between two adult children with their mother. The play by Joel Drake Johnson is now being staged by 4 Chairs Theatre, under the direction of Lauren Berman, founder of 4 Chairs. The story, made up of secrets, lies and misunderstandings, shows us the complex relationships within a family.
We can tell that this isn’t going to be simply a social conversation when Ellen (Andrea Uppling) and Warren (Michael Stejskal) drive up to the home of their mother Peggy (Valerie Gorman) to pick her up for lunch. Ellen and Warren have an agenda, a stressful topic that will color the conversation and ultimately bring out some of the secrets and lies that the parents are keeping from their children. (Anyone who is or has an aging parent will now be speculating about the parental issues that are troubling Ellen and Warren.)
At the restaurant, they’re seated by Barb the hostess (Amber Dow), a brassy woman who makes a fuss over Peggy. Our first clue that there might be a problem is that the bartender already has Peggy’s first drink ready for her. She’ll have three rum and cokes during lunch, while Ellen and Warren drink water. Peggy senses that something is amiss about this weekly lunch. She keeps asking why Warren is there because this is the time that she and Ellen have their own weekly lunch, without Warren.
The family has been through some difficult times recently. Ellen’s husband died and she traveled to Italy to help her recover from her grief. Warren may or may not have lost his teaching job. It’s not clear if he’s having lunch with his mom and sister because there’s a school institute day or… some other reason. And Peggy is dealing with the physical problems that her husband Jack is having—problems that seem to be relieved by a glass of gin. They drink together (a lot) because that’s how Peggy helps him deal with his pain. Barb, the bossy hostess/server also has a hidden connection with Peggy’s family, through her own mother, who used to work for Jack. Secrets and lies abound.
By the middle of lunch, Ellen and Warren tell Peggy how they plan to help their parents handle their health and alcohol problems. Peggy says this isn’t a lunch; it’s a lynch mob. Parents have secret lives separate from their children, she says; that’s how life works. Lunch ends abruptly, but not before Peggy finishes her third drink and her chocolate brownie a la mode.
Uppling and Skejskal are sincere and believable, as Ellen and Warren try to help their parents; they are troubled offspring. Gorman’s fine performance as Peggy becomes more dramatic as the play progresses. She delivers a couple of monologues impatiently and angrily.
The drama unfolds in real time and Berman directs it with attention to the careful timing that the playwright builds into his script. Bob Pinta’s set design has similar precision; each space defines a scene. A car that does look like the interior of a car, the restaurant waiting area, their dining table, and a complete ladies room (the scene of some tense exchanges between mother and daughter). The lighting by Elliot DePappe follows the characters’ actions sensitively. Sound design is by Aaron Harris Woodstein. Costumes are by Anika Splettstoeszer.
Playwright Joel Drake Johnson was a prolific Chicago playwright, teacher and mentor. He was a member of the Victory Gardens Playwrights Ensemble and a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists for years. Among his plays are: Rasheeda Speaking, A Fall to Earth, A Blue Moon, Before My Eyes, and The End of the Tour. Johnson died of cancer in January 2020 at age 70.
Four Places by 4 Chairs Theatre continues through Nov. 2 at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St. Running time is about 95 minutes with no intermission. Tickets and more information available here.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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