Pittsburgh Magazine – In “A Moon for the Misbegotten,” the final play written by Eugene O’Neill, the fears and failures of two lives are revealed, considered and confronted over the course of one day and one very long night. What is promising by daylight turns haunting under the titular moonlight, as the nighttime reveals both secrets and past trauma.
The descent from day into night is vital to the story — and, with help from the atmospheric magicians at Quantum Theatre, the sun and moon themselves have been cast in the production.
Staged outdoors on a stage constructed by a quiet hillside at Verona’s Longue Vue Club, this “Moon For the Misbegotten” begins as the haze of a summer’s day still surrounds the setting. By the time Josie Hogan (Melessie Clark) and Jamie Tyrone (Brett Mack) end up alone together, night has boxed them in — forcing them to reveal their desires to one another, for better or worse.
There’s more than a bit of magic in the setting, aided by an excellent production team wise enough to only augment the natural atmosphere. Director J. Cody Spellman finds time to create quiet, lingering moments that say more than the characters can — and Clark powerfully shoulders the burdens of every character in the show, facing lifetimes of trauma head-on then dusting herself off in the morning. (Wali Jamal also gives a lovely performance as Josie’s hardscrabble father, Phil.)
It’s a marriage of show and setting that Quantum’s best productions get exactly right — and it makes for a perfect night out. “Moon for the Misbegotten” continues through Aug. 25; consult an astronomical calendar for optimal lunar conditions.
