Woman in pursuit of a goal.
Stand back; author Lauren Gunderson is going to tell you all about it. In Exit, Pursued by a Bear she offers a tale of a young blue-collar couple in an exurb of Atlanta one Fourth of July. Gunderson’s the one who gave us Christmas at Pemberley Manor, the Jane Austen take the Rep did several years ago, but this is a waaay different sort of drawing room comedy. Drawing? Nan Carter is married to Kyle. She’s interested in drawing bears. Not sketching them, but luring them by means of fresh meat. Kyle, it seems, is one mean guy, especially when he’s been drinking, which seems to happen with considerable frequency. Nan is pretty tired of it, and intends to get out.
She started to realize she could when she got to know Sweetheart, a local amateur actor who moonlights at one of the “men’s clubs” that ring Atlanta, dancing as Miss Peaches. Somehow, it’s not surprising that they met at Subway. Sweetheart lent Lauren her copy of Shakespeare’s complete works. One thinks perhaps she also brought up George Bernard Shaw who said, “I dream things that never were and say why not?” Sweetheart’s dreams aim for Los Angeles and an acting career; Nan has begun to realize there’s a world out there that she’s really, really missing out on, and her marriage is an epic fail.
What to do, what to do…. Our first clue may be the many bear-shaped squeeze bottles that populate the set, which is the Carter home. Our second clue is that when we meet Kyle, he’s duct-taped to the recliner. Then there’s Simon, Nan’s BFF for years, who arrives for the fun wearing a Georgia Bulldogs cheerleader costume, complete with flippy little skirt.
Lexa Wroniak plays a very believable Nan, full of disillusioned innocence and able to quote Jimmy Carter, who, she admits, is no kin, at the drop of a noun. Sweetheart, aka Miss Peaches, is Tara Ernst, an absolute delight, making the character bigger-than-life – metaphorically speaking. Ethan Isaac’s Simon flounces, pompons and all, with the greatest of ease, making sure his bestie’s new pal is really acting (ahem) in her best interest. It’s hard to emote when you’re restrained in an overstuffed chair, but Alex Fyles, as Kyle, even manages to enunciate some fairly understandable words from behind the tape usually covering his mouth.
Teresa Doggett directed this romp with lighting design from Amy Ruprecht and sound design from Kareem Deanes. Lots of fun.
Who needs reality when you can have all this?
Exit, Pursued by a Bear
through February 17
West End Players Guild
Union Avenue Christian Church
733 Union Blvd. (enter on Enright Avenue)
Recent Comments