A play about a dying woman's struggle with ovarian cancer may strike too painfully close to home for anyone who has lost someone to a terminal illness, but with that caveat, Manoa Valley Theatre's production of "Wit" is fabulous dramatic theater. ‘Wit’ portrays struggles
that facing death bringsReview by John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.comBetty Burdick gives one of the year's best dramatic performances as Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a fiercely independent professor whose life crumbles around her when she is diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic ovarian cancer (Dr. Bearing, who narrates most of the 110-minute play, notes dryly that "there is no Stage 5").
Dr. Bearing considers her situation in large part by using the logic and acute attention to detail she's honed through years spent analyzing the works of 17th-century poet John Donne (1572-1631). Many of her observations on death and dying have their origins in her scholarly dissections of Donne's Holy Sonnets. She now finds Number 10 -- which opens "Death, be not proud ..." -- particularly relevant.
Burdick's command of the character is phenomenal, but her commitment to the demands of the role make her portrayal even more impressive. She shaved her head rather than try to hide her hair under a bald "wig." She also succeeds in appearing thinner and frailer as Dr. Bearing deteriorates -- remarkable considering this is a one-act play and Burdick is out there for the duration.
"Wit": Playing at Manoa Valley Theatre through June 2. Call 988-6131.
Dr. Bearing's narration of her final months includes memories of the experiences that shaped her life. There was the moment she knew she loved to work with words, a pivotal conversation with a professor that ignited her fascination with Donne, and a time or two when she might have been a bit less rigorous with her students. Much class time apparently was spent discussing which published versions of Donne's work have the commas and semicolons in the correct places (such debates rage in the real world still).
It's indicative of the levels of wit that playwright Margaret Edson skillfully incorporates in "Wit" that one of Dr. Bearing's contemplations on Sonnet 10 concludes with the observation that death amounts to nothing more than a "comma" between life and the hereafter. Of course it would seem much easier to dismiss death in such terms when one's personal "comma" isn't known to be only a few weeks in the future!
Dr. Bearing also recalls the day Dr. Harvey Kelekian (Dave Schaeffer) informed her without preamble that she had terminal cancer and asked if she would participate in his new research project.
On another level, then, "Wit" is an indictment of health professionals who treat their patients as objects rather than fellow humans. Dr. Bearing's tortuous trek toward death brings her in contact with technicians who leave her stranded during their designated breaks, and doctors who view her primarily as the source of data for articles they'll publish later. It is a nurse (Lei Spadacinni) who proves most cognizant of Bearing's humanity.
Brent Yoshikami (Jason Posner, M.D.) does an excellent job in his MVT debut, providing comic relief -- admittedly of the dark and sardonic type -- as a brash young resident who admits his interest in cancer research is more about succeeding where older doctors have failed than it is in saving lives. Yoshikami gives a dead-on performance as a clueless, full-of-himself doctor totally oblivious to the humanity -- let alone feelings -- of his research specimens, er, patients.
Director Roger Long does an excellent job knitting cast and tech crew together. Joseph D. Dodd (set design), Athena Espania (costumes), Ed James (lighting), Wayne Kischer (props, design and decor) and Jason Taglinetti (sound) share credit for a dynamic performance environment that embellishes the performances. Credit Greg Howell (hair and makeup) with making Burdick look like death warmed over.
"Wit" is a mentally invigorating experience.
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