Thursday, January 30, 2014

A Great Wilderness

We watched A Great Wilderness at the Seattle Repertory Theatre last night.

Jack Taylor as Daniel and Michael Winters as Walt. Photo taken from the Seattle Repertory website. Alabastro Photography




This is not going to be a formal review — just me telling my friends that we saw a play and enjoyed it and think you might too.


It is a world premiere drama written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Braden Abraham. The subject matter, conversion therapy, is highly controversial. Many people know that conversion therapy — therapy designed to make gay people straight — never works and can be harmful, and some of those people may be upset that the play is done without damning the practice. Walt (Michael Winters) has been doing it for 30 years, and now that he is getting old and dealing with dementia he is having second thoughts.

I won’t say anything more about the story other than to say that a complex issue is handled with sensitivity. I thought it was a great play, well written and well acted, with what may well be the most elaborate and beautiful set I have ever seen on stage (scenic designer Scott Bradley).

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