Rivendell's The Walls Constrained By Convention

By Julienne Bilker in Arts & Entertainment on May 21, 2009 3:20PM

Inspired by “Voices Behind the Walls: Women of the Asylum,” a collection of personal stories from women incarcerated in mental institutions between 1840-1945, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE) began holding workshops and conducting research for The Walls more than five years ago. RTE is dedicated to producing plays that “explore the unique female experience” - for us, this tack implies distinctiveness and power, the perfect combination to approach such strong source material. It’s hard to understand how these elements coalesced into something so generic.

At the center of The Walls is Carrie (Lacy Katherine Campbell), a young writer who is researching women in asylums. A conventional way to link stories of women who never actually interacted with each other, yes, but we were willing to look past it. Unfortunately, the clichés kept coming. A ghostly woman (Ashley Neal) in a yellow dress -- one of several references to the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” -- creeps around the stage intermittently. Carrie’s interest in the subject of mentally ill women is the result of growing up with her bipolar mother (Meighan Gerachis), whose instability has damaged, among other things, Carrie’s ability to have normal friendships. While doing her research, Carrie meets Lucy (Mierka Girten), a young bipolar woman who is a whole lot like her mother. The two become friends, until Lucy hits on Carrie, Carrie freaks out, etc, etc. It’s not a new story. And there is way too much of it.

Most of the meaty, powerful scenes of the play belong to the incarcerated women, who Carrie sees in her mind’s eye. Alice (Tara Mallen), a seemingly healthy wife and mother, was told by the local sheriff and her husband (Mark Ulrich) she was a danger to herself and those she loved, and locked away for more than 20 years. By the time she was released, her memories were severely eroded by - what? Her illness? The “therapy” she received? Was she even ill to begin with? It’s unclear, and we appreciated that this question was left unanswered.

The daughter of an emotionally abusive clergyman, Jane (Danica Ivancevic), was accused of a “sin of pride” - not wanting to marry a man she didn’t love (John Zinn) - and incarcerated for several years, which did nothing to rid her of the nervous habit of pricking her arms with needles and sucking her own blood. These women’s stories are both fascinating and gut-wrenching, but unfortunately the script gives them a backseat.

All of the actors make the most of what they’re given, especially Gerachis, Mallen and Ivancevic. We just wish they were given more.

The Walls, through June 20, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble at Steppenwolf’s Garage, 1624 N. Halsted. Tickets $20, 312-335-1650.