В Чикаго состоялась премьера спектакля «Анатомия самоубийства» о трех поколениях женщин, борющихся с ментальными расстройствами

Content warning: This story contains mentions of suicide. Audience members lined the dimly lit Redtwist Theatre in Chicago to watch three stories unfold simultaneously during “Anatomy of a Suicide” on Aug. 15. The play, which premiered Aug. 12 and will run through Aug. 30, is presented by The Metal Shop Performance Lab and JunkHeart. The show runs Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m., with the waitlist for tickets opening 20 minutes before showtime. “Anatomy of a Suicide” follows three generations of women battling mental illness and intergenerational trauma. A 10-actor ensemble plays 26 total characters, bringing playwright Alice Birch’s work to life. The show follows Carol (Tatiana Pavela), her daughter Anna (Taigé Lauren) and her granddaughter Bonnie (Isabel Lee Roden) through their journeys with motherhood, daughterhood and mental health. The theater’s 35 seats line its perimeter, immersing audiences into the show. Alex Mallory (Communication MFA ’19), who co-produced and directed the show, called the opportunity to work on this show at Redtwist “the most exciting, artistic endeavor.” She said “Anatomy of a Suicide” has been a longtime passion of hers, adding that she was originally drawn to the project because of the challenge it presented. “We all knew that there was something to be gained by putting in a ton of extra effort that would never be expected in a play that follows a sort of traditional form,” Mallory said. “It required an immense amount of trust, and that’s both the hardest part and one of the most rewarding parts — to be able to put something together that is truly a collaboration of 35 different people and artists.” Pavela co-produced the show and played Carol during the play. She said many of the lines from each of the three scenes inform cues for the other conversations, forcing each actor to be aware of the three scenes happening around them simultaneously. Mallory said this was the hardest part of bringing the play to life. However, it all came together to form a “beautiful, cascading show,” she said. Mallory said the team’s trust, passion and enthusiasm were the best parts of the artistic process. She added that witnessing the story play out on stage made all of their sweat and tears worth it. “We’re telling a story that is sitting with people, and that feels meaningful,” Mallory said. “And we’re putting art out that oftentimes doesn’t feel possible with the limited resources available in storefront theaters. To get to see that come to life makes it feel like anything is possible.” Pavela explained that having three scenes take place at the same time could make the cast feel like “we’re losing our minds,” adding that “Anatomy of a Suicide” is the hardest piece she’s ever worked on. However, she said the closeness of the space, while difficult at times, let the show resonate with both the actors and the audience. Pavela added that she wants those in the crowd “to feel that they’ve spent an evening living.” “We can be more nuanced with our acting, and it feels like more of a shared experience,” Pavela said. “It feels like we’re all spending this evening together, and there isn’t a separation.” Audience member Evelyn Jane Wöhlbier said she found the show “stunning,” as they arrived searching for a night of theater and left feeling moved. As an intimacy director herself, Wöhlbier said they appreciated the care organizers put toward ensuring the audience’s well-being, including several trigger warnings and a pamphlet detailing breathing exercises. “There were these three stories overlapping, and there was this cacophony of sound sometimes where you were missing a little bit of a scene that helped wash you through the blanket of emotions and stories,” Wöhlbier said. “Because at first I was like, ‘I can’t see three heavy stories happening at the same time,’ but it was such a cacophony of comfort.” Email: [email protected] Related Stories: — Wirtz Center’s ‘The River Bride’ highlights love, regret through magical realism — Chicago Tap Theatre premieres lively performance, tells story of aging