By Upstream Theater’s Myth Of The Ostrich has good buzz going on. Performed with no intermission, the play is filled with rapid-fire dialogue and a flurry of jokes covering a range of topics, including class, marriage and family dysfunction.
Set in Boston, Matt Murray’s dramedy builds upon a series of misunderstandings as Pam, a genteel Midwestern housewife who finds herself thrown into the chaos of life in Beantown, when she confronts another parent about a mysterious letter causes concerns about her son’s relationship.
This leads her to Holly, the other involved parent, who happens to be a published author suffering from writer’s block. Her no-nonsense attitude leads to friction between the two parents who clash from the start.
The situation spirals out of control when the parents, each from fundamentally different backgrounds, talk about the correspondence and its meaning. They also talk about their relationships, views on religion, and their own aspirations.
Throughout the visit, the tension is palpable as Pam’s naivety gets on Holly’s nerves. Too polite to kick her out, she must clear up a myriad of the uptight housewife’s misconceptions. Fortunately, her friend Cheryl arrives to break the ice.
The arrival of her crass, drug-dealing bestie allows Holly some breathing room as she carefully avoids revealing a secret about their teens’ relationship to Pam. Naturally charismatic, Cheryl gets the unwelcome visitor to loosen up, which helps calm her concerns.
Unbeknownst to the persnickety Pam, Cheryl, and Holly carefully dance around divulging the full situation between the two youths. This careful eschewing of facts leads the two friends to view their guest’s poor observation skills with awe.
The chaos becomes more manic after Pam accidentally digests some of Cheryl’s potent edibles. Her trip releases a gamut of emotions as she reflects on her marriage and the distant relationship she has with her son. As a result, what begins as a contentious confrontation between parents becomes unhinged bedlam when the drugs kick in.
Directed by Jane Paradise, this US premiere offers a barrage of jokes. Both lighthearted and emotional, Myth Of The Ostrich uses humor to cleverly confront societal views on gender roles and parenting without being heavy-handed. Under her guidance, the play gives audiences a ninety-minute laughfest filled with plenty of charm.
The ensemble is first-rate. Jennelle Galbreath Owens’s debut with the company finds her deploying her range as Pam’s life becomes upended by secrets and surprises. Starting off as a timid woman at the beckon call of her husband, she guides her character’s evolution to a more empowered woman. Her performance also features terrific flashes of physical comedy.
Delightfully out of control as Cheryl, Pamela Reckamp is a bombastic dervish. Her scenes with her co-stars are both tender and hilarious as she injects mayhem into the production. Her flat-out funny turn is goofy fun.
Keeping things steady is Wendy Renée Greenwood as Holly. Here, she brilliantly gives audiences a textured character who takes no guff from anyone as she navigates motherhood and a writing career. Onstage, her emotional gravitas serves as an anchor of seriousness amidst the kinetic energy served up by her two counterparts.
A fast-paced frolic that fires on all cylinders, Upstream Theater’s Myth Of The Ostrich features an ensemble on top of their game. Together this talented trio creates a relentless dose of madcap glee.
Myth Of The Ostrich runs through February 8th at the Marcelle Theater. For more information visit: https://www.upstreamtheater.org/
