“The Wanderers” is the story of two Jewish couples who live in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. One is an Orthodox couple whose marriage was arranged as we first meet them. The other is a secular Jewish couple who are writers and have known each other since they were children. Both marriages are struggling. All four characters at some point, question their choices, their lives, and life itself. If we read the program before the play begins, we see that the Orthodox couple are actually the parents of Abe, the writer-husband of the other couple. We also see that the play spans two time periods- 1973-1982 and 2015-2017. It’s a fascinating play by Anna Ziegler and Lantern Theater’s production is superb.
Abe (Robert DaPonte) and Sophie (Arielle Siler), both writers, are married with two kids. He has been successful and has won awards. Her book was seriously panned, and she struggles with being second fiddle to a man who is never satisfied. They have known each other since they were infants. Though their marriage was not arranged, he felt the need to please his mother by marrying Sophie. He takes solace in an extended on-line “relationship” with the beautiful film actress, Julia Cheever (Alanna J. Smith).
Schmuli (Adam Howard) and Esther (Zoe Nebraska Feldman) struggle with intimacy, though they produce two daughters. He wants lots of children and expects his wife to stay at home and be subordinate to him as other Orthodox women are to their husbands. Pregnant with her third child, she wants no more and seeks birth control for herself, a no-no among the Orthodox.
Playwright Anna Ziegler takes us back and forth between the two couple’s lives while dividing the stories into seven chapters. What at first appears to be four “types” of individuals evolves into rich substories. We ache for the women who feel dismissed. We also wonder and worry what choices Abe will make as he reveals himself to Julia.
What makes this play so extraordinary is the simple manner in which Ziegler deals with guilt, with desire, with independence, with trying to figure out just who they are. How far do we go to please another? Abe even tries to fix the past by writing a better outcome.
Director Jesse Bernstein links the two stories expertly without revealing too much of what lies underneath- there is plenty. And the title, “The Wanderers,” reminds us that we are all wandering through life without a compass. It is so very real and unique at the same time. It needs to be seen!
“The Wanderers” by Anna Ziegler at Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215-829-0395 lanterntheater.org thru October 6, 2024.
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 