(Constance Shulman and Annalee Jefferies in The Cannibals of McGower County at TheaterWorks Hartford. Photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

by Tim Leininger

HARTFORD, CT —Over the past three years or so, thrillers seem to have been increasing their presence on the stage, going back to the Broadway production of Grey House. TheaterWorks Hartford, though, has always been a theater ahead of the curve, something I’ve been deeply appreciative of about them. During the waning months COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, they produced Someone Else’s House, a clever blend of live streaming performance and audience interaction that brought some genuine thrills. The theater’s latest production, the world premiere of The Cannibals of McGower County returns the theater to the genre. Written by Drew Lorimore and directed by Jen Wineman, the play has its share of horrific moments that will shock audiences but requires significant leaps of reason in its narrative to bring us to its conclusion.

            Set in a small, rundown, closed barbecue restaurant in McGower County, Texas, the play opens with Lindalyn (Annalee Jefferies) and Viola (Constance Shulman), two old friends who travel to derelict buildings to scavenge, or cannibalizing them, if you will, for potential items of value left behind by the previous owners. The two women are interrupted by Sarah Nell (Gus Birney) and her boyfriend Blaze (Edward Hoke), who make regular romantic visits here. Blaze is wealthy, and through his family’s efforts has bought the town. Sarah, meanwhile, has a past that she isn’t willing to share with him, but is happy to start her life anew with the rich, handsome, young man.

(Edward Hoke and Gus Birney in The Cannibals of McGower County at TheaterWorks Hartford. Photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

            The first breach of logic — which there are many — starts in this scene as there is evidence that there are people in the restaurant, whether it be the new things scattered across the space or Lindalyn’s vehicle outside. Lindalyn and Viola are hiding in the restroom when Sarah and Blaze arrive. It’s plausible Sarah and Blaze are too involved in each other to take into consideration that they’re not alone. There’s a staging trick that would have resolved this to some degree by having either of the pairs come in from a door on the opposite side of the stage, instead of two doors near each other. If Lindalyn and Viola came in from upstage left, it would have put their point of access on the opposite side of the restaurant, implying that both couples came from opposite sides of the restaurant, creating reasoning that Sarah and Blaze wouldn’t have seen the vehicle Lindalyn and Viola came in.

            Blaze and Sarah leave, but when Blaze returns, he meets the two other ladies and tragedy ensues. Sarah comes looking for him and the real heart of the play’s drama beings, as it is discovered that she has a history with the two ladies. The reveal feels late and unearned. If Sarah had offered a bit more information earlier in the play, or Lindalyn and Viola had a bit more conversation about what would lead to the later drama, it would have helped the flow of the play’s narrative, so the audience can look at the pieces laid out earlier in the play and fit it all together. Later in the play, Lindalyn is holding Sarah captive and Sarah appears to be able to talk herself free and she self-sabotages in a most inexplicable way. It’s moments like these that make what could be an interesting, engaging thriller incredibly frustrating to watch.

(Constance Shulman in The Cannibals of McGower County at TheaterWorks Hartford. Photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

            Though the script is a bit of a mess, the cast valiantly do a great job with what they’re given to work with. Gus Birney and Edward Hoke are charming together as the young lovers. Constance Shulman gives Viola the biggest journey in the play as she starts rather mousy and subservient to Lindalyn, but as revelations are made, she slowly develops the courage to stand up for herself.

            The play primarily revolves around Lindalyn, though. Annalee Jefferies does a great job with what she’s given, presenting Lindalyn with a sort of antisocial personality disorder mixed with psychopathy. She is verbally and physically abusive, believing she is always right, and gaslighting anyone who attempts to question her. There comes a point, though, after these mental issues come forward, that she is on stage for too long, causing her behavior to peak with nowhere to go for about the last 30 minutes. It’s a common problem with characters that would be categorized as “crazy,” and end up on stage for too long. Generally, this character type works best with the rule of “less is more.”

(Annalee Jefferies in The Cannibals of McGower County at TheaterWorks Hartford. Photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

            The problems with the play are mostly in the text, definitely not in the design. Tim Mackabee’s set design is fantastic. I love the details throughout, from the beaten, broken blinds in the window to the Spuds McKenzie neon logo over the bar. The space feels dirty and derelict and looks great. Jiyoun Chang’s lighting is fantastic, incorporating the lighting throughout the set, from headlights to Christmas lights and neon advertising, making the set feel all the more alive.

            Appreciating that The Cannibals of McGower County is a world premiere, it is a decent effort, but it does need more work. The team at TheaterWorks Hartford did a great job in getting the show up, but the script needs some serious revision, tidying up the plot elements that don’t make much sense to creating a narrative that makes the core plot come forward earlier.

TICKETS: https://twhartford.org/

PRODUCTION

Written by Drew Larimore; Directed by Jen Wineman; Set Design: Tim Mackabee; Costume Design: Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design: Jiyoun Chang; Sound Design: Bailey Trierweiler; Wig Design: J. Jared Janas; Fight Director and Intimacy Coordinator: Michael Rossmy; Casting: Alldaffer and Donadio Casting; Stage Manager: pau

CAST

Gus Birney as Sarah Nell

Edward Hoke as Blaze

Annalee Jefferies as Lindalyn

Constance Shulman as Viola