Eric Bogosian’s Humpty Dumpty Is a Prescient Play That Offers Catharsis to Its Audience (Review)

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Fiction can significantly influence people’s lives, offering various experiences. It might provide simple pleasure through its fantastical worlds, or help us explore possibilities of the past and future we haven’t lived ourselves. But perhaps most powerfully, fiction serves as a medium to process and cope with the real-life struggles we encounter. A vivid example is the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – both the physical illness and the prolonged isolation that followed when the world came to a sudden halt. This is a deeply personal issue that continues to resonate with many, and fiction can offer a cathartic outlet for dealing with such experiences.

Suddenly, many individuals found themselves unexpectedly confined to their homes, surrounded solely by those in their immediate circle. For me, it was a solitary ordeal. However, it seems the world prefers to move past this time rather than explore it through artistic expression. Despite being a universal experience, I haven’t encountered much portrayal of it in our novels, films, TV shows, and other creative works. Therefore, it came as quite a shock when I discovered a powerful reflection of this challenging period hidden within Eric Bogosian’s play, Humpty Dumpty.

The play titled “Humpty Dumpty,” currently running at New York City’s The Chain Theater until May, was penned approximately 25 years ago and is set in its respective time period. Remarkably, this production from the turn of the millennium mirrors the quarantine experience of 2020 and beyond with striking accuracy and emotional resonance. It’s almost as if it were written with foresight, though in a most compelling manner. (The audience let out an audible gasp when one character spoke of the Spanish flu pandemic, saying, “But that could never happen now!”)

In the story, our primary characters – artists in different forms – find themselves unexpectedly plunged into darkness. This sudden event strips them of familiar aspects of their lives and compels them to scrutinize what’s left of their identities when disconnected from societal structures. The narrative challenges them to consider if their work and self-concept can endure if all they possess is each other and the creations they can make individually. This dilemma likely resonated with individuals in creative industries during the pandemic, as it did for me.

In a poignant moment, Max, played exceptionally by Kirk Gostkowski, a writer brimming with drama, expresses his melancholy over the lengthy nights during isolation. He speaks of a profound sorrow that falls as the sun disappears and doesn’t rise again until tomorrow, a sensation that Humpty Dumpty describes as something mysterious and timeless. This emotion resonated deeply with me during the most secluded parts of quarantine, as I watched the sun set from my window and felt an acute longing for daylight. Although Eric Bogosian wrote the play with Y2K in mind, it encapsulates a universal human experience: the disquiet that arises when we lose connection with the world outside and are left primarily with our own company.

However, “Humpty Dumpty” doesn’t solely focus on the downsides of such a massive change; it also highlights the potential benefits. In the course of the play, Max, who claimed to be a writer but hadn’t been writing before the power outage, takes up his pen once more. Even if no one else can read his work, at least he has rekindled his long-desired role as a writer in a way that feels much more authentic to him.

As Max’s wife, Nicole (skillfully portrayed by Christina Elise Perry), initially grapples with the shift in their circumstances, feeling deeply downcast. However, she eventually acknowledges that embracing this change might not be entirely unwelcome. She even opens herself up to new experiences and people, such as Nat (endearingly played by Brandon Hughes), a down-to-earth caretaker who looks after the home where our main characters reside during the blackout. Unlike others, Nat remains relatively unfazed by the power outage. His suggestion of “having faith in people” resonates with Nicole. In fact, her transformation and adaptation make her more compassionate and enjoyable, potentially leading to a happier life than she might have experienced before this event.

Additionally, we encounter Spoon, portrayed beautifully by Marie Dinolan, an actress who finds solace in setting her phone aside and taking a moment to breathe. Initially pinned into a corner before the power goes out, she proves to be resourceful, intelligent, and tenacious, overcoming adversity that others had underestimated. As the layers of society’s expectations peel away from her, so do some of the labels she was unfairly given. Last but not least, we have Troy, skillfully played by Gabriel Rysdahl, who remains consistent in his role as a lovable rogue, leaving us to chuckle and shake our heads in disbelief.

These arcs, similarly, resonate with the experience that numerous individuals went through during quarantine. Humpty Dumpty encapsulates that sweet-yet-bitter feeling resulting from the joy of unexpected growth combined with regret for what has been irretrievably lost.

In essence, Humpty Dumpty proves to be quite amusing, more so when the storytelling subtly nudges you about your personal flaws. The dialogue is sharp and clever, with jokes that land perfectly, keeping the audience in stitches, even during the gloomier moments. What truly stands out, though, is the authenticity of the characters; they seem real and well-developed, yet never fail to make you feel connected. As a result, you find yourself immersed in another world, while still feeling an intimate part of it.

One might not immediately associate “Humpty Dumpty” with a play deemed as “timeless”. It’s usually reserved for something more tender, romantic perhaps. However, despite being penned by Eric Bogosian over two decades ago, the play “Humpty Dumpty” resonates with a universal human experience that makes it an enduring piece of art. Its themes seem to echo through significant events in our lives and continue to resonate in the present and future. For me, it was like rediscovering a lost gem from 25 years ago; it brought about a sense of catharsis that I didn’t realize I needed. Indeed, “timeless” is an apt description for this powerful piece.>

Until May 3rd, if you’re currently in New York City, you have the opportunity to see “Humpty Dumpty” in person! Tickets can be purchased here. For those of you who aren’t based there, you can buy the screenplay for a personal read whenever it suits you best.

Humpty Dumpty ⭐ (5 of 5)

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2025-04-10 17:04