Playwright Gracie Gardner’s intelligent voice continues to grow in Undermain Theatre’s world premiere of her play Saturn Return. Centered on four 20-somethings who reunite from high school at a friend’s funeral. In the aftermath, they battle and bicker throughout the one-act through a mix of sarcastic humor and biting jabs. Gardner’s Gen-Z characters are working out their grief and director Christina Cranshaw and the cast of five bring Gardner’s story to life through a distinct fervor that was harsh and humorous.
The play kinda asked what happens when theater kids grow up as each related their high school memories when all were close friends who worked together on stage productions. The fact was almost a non sequitur to the story that unfolded in the play’s present, but it’s a detail that worked in favor of the play’s interactions. Gardner’s touch of quirky theater snark punctuated the dialogue that many of the theater kids in my audience snickered at on opening night (and the one who guffawed right in my ear), but also played into the main-character energy each character had.
Nadia DeWolf and Carson Wright were most central as Tori and Franklin. Tori’s now in the medical field with a chip on her shoulder and Franklin remained an actor and now navigates failed tv shows and auditions.
As the abrasive Tori, DeWolf’s portrayal tapped into so many layers. She delivered Tori with such a hard exterior but there was evidence of the character’s vulnerability. A saddened look or exhausted eye roll said so much more about Tori. She volleyed dialogue easily with her castmates but mostly Wright.
Wright is such a versatile actor but Franklin is the type of character he excels at. He took ingredients of confidence, doubt and a frenetic energy and created a person who was fully fleshed out. Franklin’s actions were impulsive and incredulous which Wright delivered with a slightly manic energy befitting the character.
Mimi and Bucket, played by Cheyenne Haynes and Doak Rapp, make their entrance later in the production. As the bold and audacious Mimi, Haynes brought some diva energy that contrasted sharply with DeWolf’s Tori; her performance hinged on a subtle melodrama with her sharpness, yet she remained grounded in the character’s humanity. Rapp, portraying the anxious Bucket, opted for a more detached approach. Though expected to have answers, his enigmatic performance distanced him from the group, effectively highlighting his place within this chosen yet dysfunctional family.
Patrick Bynane disrupted the four as Mr. Littman, a former teacher, also attended the funeral. His first appearance onstage early on was literally golden. Later, Littman serves as a sounding board of sorts to the four and delivers his own sort of wisdom. Bynane’s vibe brought a needed counterbalance to the show and the four characters.
The show moved at a brisk pace so that softer, tender moments of stillness or quiet landed with major impact. Cranshaw’s direction served each character well as they all had some sort of posturing to do. Each character’s role in the friend group was immediately evident. And she allowed the action and actors to unpack the story’s drama and comedy in ideal pieces that gave the show a pleasing balance.
The scenic design by Leah Mazur was transformative. Recreating the exterior rear of a funeral parlor, Mazur displayed meticulous detail, from the functional-looking back door and dumpster to a floor blanketed in autumn leaves. A particularly brilliant touch was the “glass” window, which offered glimpses of characters before they officially entered the scene.
Gracie Gardner’s gift for language was fully on display with her resolute dialogue propelling the narrative. While the characters spent their time arguing, debating and engaging in raw human impulses, the core message felt deeper. Saturn Return served as a poignant exploration of adulthood. The transition into a full- functioning grown-up is simultaneously inevitable and fulfilling but with that comes a profound sense of loss.
Performances continue through May 24.
–Rich Lopez