The Flatlanders at 1812 Productions

A couple that has been together for 14 years has decided to tie the knot. On their way from Philadelphia to the Poconos where their marriage will take place in the company of a dozen friends, a snowstorm intrudes, and Michael (Scott Greer) crashes into a tree demolishing their car and only finds refuge after climbing the snow-covered road with his bride-to-be in his arms. He finds, what is clearly someone’s vacation home but there is no one there. Fortunately, they manage to break in. That is the start of Bruce Graham’s newest comedy, “The Flatlanders” staged by 1812 Productions at Plays and Players Theatre. Yes, this is a comedy, and it is funny, poignant, smart, and honest, and superbly directed by Matt Pfeiffer.

            Michael and Ronnie (Jennifer Childs) know each other well, after having been together for so many years. But they are stranded in a house with no power, no internet, and no Alexa. They can’t reach anyone outside. They have only each other and in the 75 minute play, they learn more about the other than they had known in years.

            We see that he is a hypochondriac. He always thinks the worst of any physical condition. He is also tight with money and complains that she wastes it by failing to turn off the lights at home.

            She is a fanatic with pillows. She has tons of them at home and when she first arrives at this house, she needs to rearrange them. She is also constantly on various forms of electronic media. She rarely remembers what he tells her unless it is in the form of a text or e-mail- even when they are in the same room- now, they must communicate directly.

            Each in turn questions whether or not they should marry. Her parents had a bad relationship long before they divorced, and she fears marriage might not work- she’s already had one failed marriage.  His parents had a good marriage, and he wonders if he can establish the same with her.

            This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as Michael and Ronnie air out all their issues with each other. But this is not “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” This is a comedy. But it is not a silly, over-the-top comedy. Graham’s dialogue is real. We can all identify with his characters’ stories while we are laughing about them. Can they weather the storm?

There is an extra level of humor when Michael emerges from the basement with a box sex toys that the homeowners kept in some sort of “dungeon” down there. It brings out still another element in the pair’s personalities.  

            Bruce Graham has written so many extraordinary plays since I first discovered his work three decades ago. And this one, in the hands of two of Philadelphia’s greatest actors (Greer and Childs), is another must see!

Play is a co-production with Delaware Theatre Company, so if you miss it at 1812 in Philly, you can see it from April 17 to May 5 in Wilmington.

“The Flatlanders” by Bruce Graham by 1812 Productions, at Players and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-592-9560, info@1812 productions.org   Thru February 18, 2024