Diablo Review: Rabbit Hole

Last chance to see Pulitzer Prize-winning drama playing in Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre March 5–7.

A couple mourns the loss of their child. Though the basic plot of the Pullitzer Prize winning drama and dark comedy Rabbit Hole is revealed during the first few minutes of the performance, the audience is kept in the dark about how the tragic events unfolded throughout most of the show, piecing together bits of information like breadcrumbs left along a path. Instead of large chunks of exposition, information is drawn from audio recordings of a happy child playing with his father and a mysterious letter that arrives from a character whose name both parents are all too familiar with.

Even though the overarching concepts of coping with grief and loss are the main focus of this piece, there are also strong elements of comedy—witty banter and excellent comedic timing are brought to the stage in the darkest of times by Izzy, the main character’s carefree sister, and Nat, their tactless mother, skillfully and delicately portrayed by Emily Morrison and Sally Hogarty, respectively.

Lafayette Town Hall Theatre’s production is a powerful one, layered with sadness, tension, and laughter in all the right places. The performances of the cast are all very strong, but special attention is warranted for actress Csilla Horvath-Lewis, who delivers an incredibly moving performance as Becca Corbett, the child’s mother.

Supported by a visually compelling set, director Susannah Martin does a wonderful job presenting the audience with a haunting-yet-realistic world driven by characters who are exploring the concepts of faith, family, and how there is “no one right way” to grieve.

Rabbit Hole tickets can be purchased at thtc.org or by calling (925) 283-1557 for remaining performances: March 5-7. Lafayette Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School Street, Lafayette.

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