Charlie Holt (Sidney Williams, right), sharing a drink with his employee, Randy (Mason Walker), in Leegrid Steven’s A Peregrine Falls at the Wild Project.
Leegrid Stevens’s A Peregrine Falls, now at the Wild Project under the direction of Padraic Lillis, tells the story of a Mormon family in Austin, Texas, in 2010 and 2012, as they grapple with the aftermath of horrific family abuse. The play combines realism, in scenes taking place in hospital and state-court waiting areas and a family-owned car dealership (scenic design by Zoë Hurwitz), with flights of dream imagery and symbolism, the latter mostly conveyed by a narrator who is both within and without the story (the peregrine of the title stands for the ultimate predator, a bird who preys on other birds).
Taylor Holt (Kevin Cristaldi), father and manager of two daughters, both musical prodigies, is the highly meta-theatrical tour guide: “Welcome to our play! You made the right decision coming / cause it’s good / the play / better than good. Stunning / I would say that,” and so forth. This goes on for some time and resumes after the intermission: “Everybody had an intermission and / you all probably talked and / traded opinions.”
Kailey Holt (Erin Treadway, left) prepares for court with her lawyer (Kevin Cristaldi).
The story that Taylor sets up involves other members of the Holt family: Kailey (Erin Treadway) returns home with news of her pregnancy, and is met at the hospital (she was experiencing stomach pains on her flight to Texas) by her father Charlie (Sidney Williams), a good-natured, recently un-lapsed Mormon, and later her mother, Leece (Julia Brothers), a committed Mormon who claims to have prophetic dreams. The opening scene between Charlie and Kailey hints at serious psychological troubles in her past; Charlie is cheerful, but that cheer seems to be masking anxiety, including over his failing business, and Kailey is jumpy and suspicious, brimming with forced happiness that conceals a deep anger.
There is some humor in the family banter (such as when Leece can’t comprehend Kailey’s vegetarianism), but this kind of disagreement quickly escalates into confrontation, which reaches a pitch after Kailey becomes so angry and violent toward the doctor (also portrayed by Cristaldi) for telling her that she is not, in fact, pregnant, that she strikes her mother, who is trying to calm her down. This incident leads to state court, where Taylor, the star of the family, arrives as a character witness for Kailey, though we know from fragments of phone conversations that his world is about to explode.
From here the play reveals the extent of Kailey’s delusions and the abuses she suffered in childhood. In the final scene, in which two years have passed, Charlie will have to confront what he knew and the motives and price for his inaction.
Charlie shares a tender moment with his wife Leece (Julia Brothers). Photographs by Clinton Brandhagen.
In addition to writing the play, Stevens is also responsible for the terrific sound design, which creates a haunting and eerie atmosphere. But there is no need to warn about “spoilers” in the above summary, because one of the play’s problems is that the supposed revelations can be seen coming so clearly as to eliminate all shock. Another dramatic problem is that Kailey’s mental illness is obvious and extreme, rather than subtle or insidious.
However, the play’s fundamental problem is Taylor’s narration and commentary, filled with incessant pointing out to the audience that they are watching a play and with needless explanations. (This is not a fault in Cristaldi’s performance, but in the structure.) The commentary could be cut without causing any confusion. At first ,it seems that Taylor the narrator is there to explain the intricacies of Mormonism that might not be familiar to an uninitiated audience, but he ends up doing this only once (with the term ward). In any case, it would be better to immerse the audience in the world and language of the play, even if some of the specific jargon might not be familiar.
Perhaps it is supposed to be chilling that the audience gives themselves over to a narrator who ends up being a villain, but neither his goofy persona at the outset nor the philosophizing monster he is revealed to be adds anything important, other than some heavy-handed metaphors.
A Peregrine Falls plays at the Wild Project (195 East 3rd St.) through Feb.29. Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturdays; matinees are at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets and information, visit thewildproject.com/performances/a-peregrine-falls/.
