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The Night Heron
By Jez Butterworth
Directed by G. J. Cederquist
At Steep Theatre
3902 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL
Call 312-458-0722, tickets $15
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM
Running time is 2 hrs, 20 min with intermission
Through March 31, 2006
(in repertory with Of Mice and Men)
. . . nothing rhymes with garden. Except harden. And Pardon. That's your lot. You could try and rhyme some of the flowers, but, see the flowers are all tough rhymes. Daffodil. Begonia. Rhododendron. It's well known. The flowers are buggers to rhyme.
-- Bolla from The Night Heron
The Night Heron an enigmatic, humorous and allegorical tale worth seeing.
Steep Theatre finds plays that champion “Everyman” theatre. Their latest find is a gem from the gifted British playwright, Jez Butterworth (Mojo). The Night Heron is a hybrid work full of ambiguity as it is part religious allegory, part murder mystery and part psychological drama. This black comedy is rich in atmosphere---the setting is in “The Fens,” a marshland part of England near Cambridge know historically as the breeding grown for witchcraft and religious cults. Playwright Butterworth cleverly develops the work with symbolism, quirky characters speaking in rich, thick East Anglian accents (kudos to dialect coach Martin Aistrope).
The eccentric dialogue aptly depicts the outsiders who live in a rural cabin near Cambridge. Jess (Peter Moore at his eerie finest) is the despondent gardener recovering from a physical beating who works recording the Old Testament for a religious cult he has recently joined. His cabin mate, and best friend, Griffin (Damian Arnold at his subtle funniest) another former gardener now unemployed helps Jess survive by rabbit hunting in the marshlands. With a large iconostasis across the rear wall of the cabin, the religious symbolism emerges. The two ‘fell from the garden’ and seek redemption.
Early on we meet Neddy Beagle (in rich East Anglian accent by Will Schutz) who comes as a ‘go-between’ to announce the blackmail attempt to Jess. It seems Jess lost his job when he was accused of molestation against a child and his boy scout post when he joined a religious cult. Griffin protested Jess’ firing and got fired for his support.
Now living on the Dole, Griffin hunts rabbit and Jess produces audio readings of the bible. The murky plot has much symbolic shadowing as it unfolds as a mystery with gobs of wacky humor from the zany characters. The ‘want-to-be’ volunteer constable Royce’s (played hilariously by Jim Poole) visits fuel the story and add precious moments especially in the scene with Bolla Fogg (the fabulous Julia Siple in her best Cyndi Lauper-like look). Bolla, the ex-con hates ‘coppers’ and she intimidates Royce in a terrific bit. She moves in with the boys because they need her rent money.
When Bolla arrives from Cambridge with a drugged-up student (the nude Jonathan Edwards), she wants to help Griffin and Jess win the poetry contest worth 2000 quid. The strange plot unfolds on several levels as it contains elements of satire, farce, allegory and mystery using absurd humor, eccentric characters going through their struggle for survival as each seek redemption from their sins. Themes of loyalty, gullibility, resolve, guilt, religious fanaticism and fear are interwoven in this deliberately vague play that goes from wacky black comedy to a sadly tragic fall from grace. The show’s uncertainty works to heighten the drama giving it depth. The title bird’s straying from its course is an apt metaphor. This engrossing work is full of doubt and wonder yet it contains a weird charm that is infectious.
Peter Moore, Julia Siple and Jim Poole are terrific. Jonathan Edwards’ shows his guts to literately let it all hangout and Brad Adkin and Will Schutz provide effective moments to the show. Damian Arnold was marvelous as the scheming Griffin. Steep Theatre continues their tradition of outstanding ensemble work. With precision direction from G. J. Cederquist, The Night Heron is a gem of a show that is as scarce as a sighting of the rare bird in its name. You’ll be debating the meaning and the symbolism of this smart show long after seeing the play.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed February 16, 2006
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