963 miles from the Broadway version of “The Roommate” is a house that feels so close to civilization and yet so far away. Hidden in the confines of Iowa, this house is where the story of two women from different worlds meet and intersect. And throughout this story, the house shifts and changes into different meanings: A home away from home, an isolated place that allows for close bonding and an inescapable prison of their own making.
The setting is prevalent in the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ production of “The Roommate.” It serves as the primary location for Sharon (Kelley Weber), a middle-aged divorced Midwestern mom, and Robyn (Nancy Bell), a cool, 50-something lesbian from the Bronx that needs a place to stay. To Sharon, it’s the house where she raised a family that grew away from her. To Robyn, a place to get away from it all, including her strained relationship with her daughter, and start over.
Of course, as they go through an awkward move-in and Robyn makes herself at home as a roommate — something that Sharon has never had, even in college — the pleasant Midwestern atmosphere can’t help but make itself known. Plucky guitar strings play over scene changes, the only sounds heard outside are birds at day and crickets at night and the shining yellow light of day clashes with dark blues and purples of night. The house, with its tan walls and faded green cupboards, is both descriptive and abstract.
The kitchen may be detailed, but where the stage ends, three window panes hang among the stage lights. The porch is noticeable, but Robyn and Sharon fail to see that there is no wall between that and the living room, happy to just go through the door. It becomes less detailed the further it gets from the center, forcing us to ask the question of what space exists beyond the fortified walls of this comfortable home.
The homey nature of the Midwest overwhelms, perhaps explaining why Sharon is so socially awkward towards someone that isn’t cut from the same flannel. She has never dealt with someone who is gay, smokes “medicinal herbs,” engages in voodoo dolls and slam poetry. The most excitement she ever gets is from her reading group. She is scared yet excited by Robyn, a perfectly normal response from a woman who hopes saying she’s actually from Illinois would make her a more interesting person.
With Robyn, she becomes more fascinated by Sharon’s ordinariness, for once being able to exist with a non-threatening person. The most she has to worry about is Sharon bragging about her to her distant son. But this fantasy can only last so long.
Soon what Robyn has tried to hide in New York comes to light. A secret that, to the play’s credit, is hidden in plain sight.
The play presents itself as a light comedy, with Weber and Bell sharing good chemistry and quips with each other as they bring life to the setting. It comes off as a sitcom, down to including a line from “Seinfeld.” Once this secret of Robyn’s life is revealed, and Sharon becomes enamored with it and wants to live it out for herself, the play takes an interesting turn, both in what happens and in their relationship. It sets itself up to go into dark places, almost turning into a theatrical season of “Fargo.”
Yet no matter how much it teases the darkness hidden within Sharon and Robyn, “The Roommate” never fully reveals it. Director Rebekah Scallet works wonders in giving the show its conventional poker face, but she never wants to leave it. The story is taken in a safe-enough direction for there to be a satisfying-enough conclusion, despite the nagging feeling that this could’ve been taken to a deeper level.
“The Roommate” is supposed to be a dark comedy, something it works fine as during small moments. The only issue is that it’s never thematically dark, no matter the limitless potential it has with the premise and setting. It’s actually a heartwarming comedy-drama, from the light tone and charming performances of the two leads.
The two actors remain the heart of the script. They bring out as much as they can from the story, especially in an underwhelming ending, where the best part is seeing Weber and Bell show off their dramatic side.
But with how much they set up, and how much gets taken away from Sharon and Robyn, the themes that can be taken from “The Roommate” leave more to be desired. In the end, once Sharon realizes that she has trapped herself into being forever alone, the most she learns from this is how good it feels to be bad. That is the most complex the play allows itself to be.
Scallet creates an enjoyable experience with “The Roommate,” utilizing great acting, lighting, and production design to bring Jen Silverman’s script to life. If only the same script gave her something better to work with.
Share this post
