4000 MILES by Amy Hertzog was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist 2013 and received the Obie Award for Best New American Play 2012.
Herzog’s play tells a moving story focusing on the relationship between Leo and his feisty grandmother Vera. The cross-country bike trip of twenty something Leo, played with great feeling and depth by Cameron Hutt, ends when he arrives unannounced at 3am outside the door of his grandmother Vera’s West Village apartment. Why now?!
Over the course of a month these temporary housemates amuse, infuriate and bewilder as the two generations discover that they have much more in common than our cyber culture would suggest.
As the play unfolds we soon learn that these two characters are struggling deeply with their own frailties and vulnerabilities.
Leo is in emotional turmoil and is secretly suffering. Vera is played confidently by Jennifer Leslie and shows all the strength and understanding of her character. Vera has lived a solitary life and has survived to 91 with the sad reality of experiencing the deaths of her friends and her contemporaries. The two have a complicated relationship that as they spend time together draws them into a wonderful array of connections.
Kate Gandy as Rebecca and Nicky Norton, in the respective roles of Amanda and Lily, successfully bring their characters to life so we come to more fully empathise with, and understand, the complications within Leo’s life. All the characters enact the difficult truth of Vera’s wisdom: Friends, neighbors, family, lovers— all imperfect— must find a way to get along even if they don’t like each other.
Strong direction by Jewell Johnson ensures there is a smooth flow between each of the fairly short scenes so the relationship between Vera and Leo develops naturally as the past is slowly revealed. This is enhanced by highly effective lighting changes wrung by designer James Winters.
A particularly good touch is the use of almost complete darkness with the only thing visible being the silhouettes of Vera and Leo, in a very touching exchange where Leo shares his guilt and pain. This allows the audience to concentrate on the voice of Leo and the gentle outlined touch of Vera.
The staging helped enormously by the wonderfully cluttered detail of the apartment set, bringing the audience intimately into the lives of all the characters.
Though a tender and overall serious drama the play is regularly interspersed with moments of humour and witty dialogue. A quote from the playwright: -“There are moments of tenderness in the play, but I always err towards these being jagged and not sentimental.”
For an entertaining and moving night at the theatre don’t miss this production.
4000 MILES plays at Pavilion Theatre, Doran Drive Castle Hill until the 2nd May. Tickets can be booked online at http://www.paviliontheatre.org.au.