(Christopher Lowell, June Squibb in MARJORIE PRIME – Photo by Joan Marcus)

by Tim Leininger

NEW YORK — It’s the holiday season and it’s generally the time of year people look for something inspirational and uplifting to boost the spirits as we reach the literal darkest days of the year. If that’s what you’re looking for, Marjorie Prime is not that. Written by Jordan Harrison (The Antiquities and Maple and Vine), it is directed by Anne Kauffman (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window and Mary Jane) and running on Broadway through Feb. 15 at the Helen Hayes Theater at 240 W. 44^th St. in New York City. As ill-timed as Marjorie Prime’s premiere may be, it is an excellent tragedy about loss and the pursuit to hold on to the past.

            Set in the future, approximately 2062 if my math is correct, Tess (Cynthia Nixon) and her husband Jon (Danny Burstein) have purchased a robot modeled after Tess’s father Walter (Christopher Lowell), called a Prime, to help her mother Marjorie (June Squibb), who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Walter is programed to recount memories of the Marjorie with him, inputted by Tess and Jon.

            The tension builds as Tess and Jon are not in agreement as to what information to give to Walter, particularly when dealing with Marjorie’s son, who died at a young age due to tragic circumstances. Why bother digging up bad memories if she doesn’t remember them? Especially memories that have negatively impacted the entire makeup of the family since then. Things are only exacerbated after Marjorie dies and Tess and Jon decide to get a Prime of Marjorie.

(Danny Burstein, Cynthia Nixon, June Squibb in MARJORIE PRIME – Photo by Joan Marcus)

            The inability to let go, instead holding onto grief to an unhealthy degree is something most people struggle with at some point in their lives, especially after someone special to them dies. Harrison brutally captures the desperation of people who are incapable of dealing with their grief in a healthy way. As each scene plays out, the problems compound as more grief falls upon the characters and they have no ability to deal with it constructively.

            It’s a gut-wrenching story and the cast give amazing performances. Burstein (Gypsy and Moulin Rouge!) gives a beautiful performance including a monologue about a trip to Madagascar that is heartbreaking. The mother/daughter chemistry between Nixon (Rabbit Hole and The Little Foxes) and Squibb feels tragically real as Nixon’s Tess struggles with her love for her mother with the quick deterioration of her mother’s health. Squibb (Gypsy and Waitress), returning to the stage at the age of 96, whose own mind is quite sharp, gives Marjorie a sensitive fragility, who we empathize with as she struggles to keep her thoughts clear, while dealing with Tess’s impatience.

            As amazing as the performances are and as emotionally impactful the story is, it is a terminally tragic piece that only gets heavier as the show progresses. If you’re looking for something inspirational for the holidays, this is not the show to see. This is a heavy piece of theater. Necessary, for sure, but not likely to uplift the spirit.

(Christopher Lowell in MARJORIE PRIME – Photo by Joan Marcus)

            There is some great design here. Lee Jellinek’s scenic design of Marjorie’s house — and presumably Jon and Tess’s home after she dies, that’s never clearly stated — is decked out in shades of green, that sometimes slightly clash, but give that feel of an elderly person looking to have a home with a sense of life to it. This is cleverly compounded by some very dramatic lighting by Ben Stanton that hide people in shadows and project the emotional weight behind what should be a pleasant home environment.

            Marjorie Prime is a great play, well deserving of being the Pulitzer Prize finalist that it is. It’s written with weight and depth, the performances are rich and powerful, but it feels like a play that would do better during the spring theater season. It’s a super depressing play for the holiday theater season, but if you have the strength to see a play that expresses the truths of grief and the need for helping each other through the worst of times, Marjorie Prime is, in its way, a beautiful play to experience.

MARJORIE PRIME

TICKETS: https://2st.com/

PRODUCTION: Written by Jordan Harrison; Directed by Anne Kauffman; Scenic Design: Lee Jellinek; Costume Design: Márion Talán De La Rosa; Lighting Design: Ben Stanton; Sound Design and Original Music: Daniel Kluger; Hair Designer: Amanda Miller; makeup Designer: Sarah Cimino; Production Stage Manager: Charles M. Turner III; Stage Manager: Sara Sahin; Press: Polk & Co.; Casting: Daniel Swee, CSA; Advertising: AKA; General manager: Chris McGinnis; Director of Production: Matthew Given; Chief Marketing Officer: Laura DiLorenzo; Director of Finance: Adam Sachs; Chief Development Officer: Lindsey Forden; Director of Sales Operations: Artie Sievers; Director of Operations: Jim Joseph; Director of Human Resources & EDI: Megal Thiele

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Danny Burstein as Jon

Christopher Lowell as Walter

Cynthia Nixon as Tess

June Squibb as Marjorie