Courtesy / Robert Saferstein 1797: Robert J. Saferstein. From left: Estelle Parsons, Angelica Torn, Amy Warren and Shannon Cochran.
The best theater is like a snapshot of real life, just wittier. “August: Osage County” at the Fox Theater was a look into a reality few would wish on themselves.
The fictional family the play follows could be a synonym for the word “dysfunctional,” but even that word does not fully describe them.
The matriarch, Violet Weston (Estelle Parsons, or the mom on “Roseanne”), is a prescription-pill-addicted grimalkin who drives her husband to commit suicide. This tragic event brings all of Violet’s offspring and their families back to her dusty, sweltering house in Pawhuska, Okla.
Though more coherent than Violet, these characters are not much more sane. Violet’s middle child, Ivy (Angelica Torn), is romantically involved with her cousin. Her youngest child, Karen (Amy Warren), is engaged to a man who tries to seduce a 15-year-old and nearly succeeds.
And her eldest child, Barbara (Shannon Cochran) bore that 15-year-old with a man who is currently sleeping with his student, who is not much older. In fact, by far the sanest person in the house is the one not related in any way to the Weston family. That is Johnna Monevata (DeLanna Studi), the Native American housekeeper. Put all these people together in the same shadowy county house and hilarity is bound to ensue, in a profoundly dry, creepy, and intense sort of way.
Although the house was next to empty compared to other shows at the Fox, “August: Osage County” was one of the best the venue has ever seen.
Within seconds, the audience could go from laughing to gasping, sometimes doing both at once. The superb acting enticed chills to creep down spines, and the writing was profound in its cohesiveness. A further testament to its greatness is that “August: Osage County” is over three hours long, yet it never ceased to transfix.
Shannon Cochran as Barbara is part of the reason why. She commanded the stage, even when her overbearing mother was yelling insults. A standout performance of Cochran’s ended the first act, when her character decided to literally take control of the household, which was quickly becoming a madhouse. She shocked audience members by yelling “I’m in charge now!” at her mother before the lights dimmed, signifying the act’s end. The line reverberated off the theater’s walls, and long after the play ended, audience members echoed it to one another.
As with many of the play’s lines, it became more meaningful as the scenes passed when it became obvious that Barbara Weston not only took Violet’s authority, but was also slowly turning into her mother. Another profound line of Barbara’s was uttered to her daughter, Jean (Emily Kinney): “Thank God we can’t see the future,” Barbara told Jean. “We’d never get out of bed.”
“August: Osage County” will bait audiences with its rapier wit, but theatergoers who make it through the dark comedy will be hooked for weeks after they leave the theater. It is a powerful testament to playwriting, acting and direction. “August: Osage County” is a show that reminds viewers of why live theater is still around, and the intense experience of seeing it live can never be forgotten.
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