To See or Not to See: Buried Child

Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play makes its way back to the city 20 years after its last New York production. And, what a return it is. Buried Child centers around a midwestern family with a dark past and a secret they’ve kept hidden. From start to finish, it’s strange, witty, and utterly transfixing.

The production does a fantastic job creating the eerie ambiance the play demands. It’s hard to miss Ed Harris, already in character, as the audience packs the Signature Theater. Harris plays Dodge, an alcoholic, who has given up on life. He and his wife, Halie (Amy Madigan), are struggling while looking after their two wayward sons, Tilden (Paul Sparks) and Bradley (Rich Sommer). The pair had a third son, who is a source of their painful past (Note: that’s not the family secret!). Things begin to unravel as Tilden’s son, Vince (Nat Wolff), returns home with his girlfriend, Shelly (Taissa Farmiga). The family seems to have forgotten who Vince is, and, as he tries to make sense of it all, the family’s secret surfaces. And, that’s all I’ll say about the plot.

The cast is phenomenal. Nat Wolff was the reason I wanted to see the play. And, he didn’t disappoint. His character is very much like Jekyll and Hyde. And, he brings both sides out masterfully. His closing monologue had the audience on the edge of their seats. Taissa Farmiga was another standout. She brought the essence of her character to life. In a play that deals with so much disillusionment, Shelly serves as the voice of reason and reminds audiences what an ideal family should be. She made the character spunky and highly likable. As for Harris, I can’t praise his performance enough. His presence felt ghostly, in a good way. You could tell how his painful past had changed him.

Buried Child works well at the Signature Theater. The intimate setting made me feel like I was a fly on the wall of a very dysfunctional household, which was gorgeously designed. The set transported the audience to the midwest, but space never felt limited though it was.

I would recommend seeing the play before it finishes its run on March 27th. Tickets are available on the New Group website.