“Annapurna” is currently playing from September 18-December 20 at the Purple Rose Theatre. Located at 137 Park Street, Chelsea, MI, 48118. (Contains partial nudity, adult language and themes)
by Christian Usera
A MAN LAUGHS hysterically at his wife’s joke only to lose his breath—requiring an inhaler and oxygen. The push-pull from the comedic to the dramatic typifies the play “Annapurna,” written by Sharr White and Directed by Guy Sanville. The play centers on Ulysses, a gritty writer and former alcoholic played by Richard McWilliams, and his estranged wife Emma, played by Michelle Mountain.
Emma, upon learning her former husband is suffering from cancer and emphysema, decides to pay him an unannounced visit, much to his chagrin. Her presence, for Ulysses, is bittersweet as the thought of her departure with their son over twenty years ago still haunts him. Ulysses’ trailer, much like his appearance, is disheveled and unkempt. When asked by his wife why he doesn’t clean his home he responds, “(The trailer) is a direct reflection of my sins, so why should I clean the counters?” The character’s guilt is an omnipresent element of the whole production.
McWilliams’ performance as the crestfallen Ulysses is at times jolting. He pulls you into a false sense of mellow security only to deliver an impassioned scream when Emma touches an old emotional wound. For Mountain’s part, her performance is a combination of compassion mixed with exasperation as her character attempts to understand why her husband has seemingly given up on everything.
However, it is later shown that despite all outward appearances, the misanthropic writer has not in fact abandoned everything. He has always kept a glimmer of hope that his son has read his numerous letters he sent over the years. These letters and poems represent all his pent up feelings of loss and regret for all the time he missed with his son, which is reflected in the play by his purposeful absence.
The play does a wonderful job of showing the audience events instead of just telling them. For example, when Emma leans down to comb her hair to reveal many bruises. Ulysses’ later half jokes, “You show up after 17 years, with bruises and a fruit basket!” This half-bitter comedic moment showcases the seesaw between serious drama and farce. The ability to ease some of the dramatic tension helps to soften the characters a little and give them a more sympathetic face.
Both McWilliams and Mountain do a fantastic job pulling the audience into the inner workings of their relationship, which is rich and complex. The challenge of the actors’ roles is not only to reveal the fragility of love, but also to understand their own needs and motivations. Both Ulysses and Emma share the same issues revolving around the regret they feel over past decisions.
The production was a delightful departure from Samuel Beckett-inspired fare, where two characters banter over existential trivialities. Annapurna is concrete in its subject matter and the delivery matched the writing. The audience has a sense of time and location, which adds much to the storyline. (For example, the mountainous Colorado backdrop mirrors the Tibetan mountain from which the title is derived.)
In addition Ulysses’ medical condition, which involves breathing problems, reflects his inner need for love, acceptance and redemption. One feels a deep sense of pity for the character’s physical and emotional plight, despite his past sins. McWilliams’ performance strikes a fine balance between the character’s gruff exterior and his inner self-reflection.
Overall this production of “Annapurna,” from its actors, to its novel set design, is thoroughly enjoyable. The audience was treated to a play that didn’t get lost in overly-pretentious dialogue and kept up a good tempo. Annapurna reminds us that even when it appears we’ve lost it all, there’s still hope at the summit of the mountain.
