Everyone comes to theatre for different reasons: Entertainment, enlightenment, even just to stave off the boredom for a couple of hours; but I find myself often drawn to theatre as a way to better understand the people around me, and few plays recently have given me a deeper peek into what it means to be human than Take Care of my Friend, the latest from Filigree Theatre and director Elizabeth V. Newman, now playing at Hyde Park Theatre. Written and performed by the multi-talented Kathleen Fletcher, it’s an intensely personal, earnest, but often hilarious look at life with depression, anxiety, and OCD. Far from an easy watch, Take Care of My Friend is an often discomforting experience, but one which will have you laugh/crying and cry/laughing early and often, as Fletcher takes us through some of the roughest points in her life, showing the resilience, and vulnerability, it took to get out the other side in one piece.
Take Care of my Friend is, for all intents and purposes, a one-woman show with some extra flair. As such, much hangs on the abilities of its central storyteller, and luckily in Fletcher we have a real talent. There’s an inherent charm to Fletcher that creates an instant connection with the audience, helping us to wind this tricky, at times anguishing path through the dark corners of the mind without succumbing to despair. Indeed, humor that one would think wouldn’t work with this kind of material not only hits, but succeeds, creating some of the biggest belly laughs I’ve had in some time. Fletcher is never less than honest about her experiences, slicing herself open for everyone to see, an act of such intense bravery that one can’t help but admire it.
That isn’t to say that Fletcher is the only performer of note in the piece, far from it. All five of her supporting actors help create the backbone to her tale, stepping in to play both real, flesh-and-blood characters in her life, as well as the dark inner voices in Fletcher’s head which drive many of her problems. It’s a very effective (and affecting) tool, as it helps immerse us into the issues our heroine is facing in a truly visceral way. There’s also an inherent sisterhood within the group, a support system holding up Fletcher in her darkest moments, both within the text and without (4th wall breaks happen early and often), reminding viewers that it’s rarely possible to get through our issues without the help of others.
Raw, unflinching, and bone deep, Take Care of my Friend is a powerful, brave work. It’s an undeniably tough sit, and checking for any triggers before walking would be greatly beneficial for many, but for those who can handle the material, Fletcher’s journey into the darker corners of her psyche could be a cathartic and enriching experience, featuring some surprisingly well-timed humor. The balance between somberness and humor is a remarkable achievement, as Fletcher adds brightness to long stretches of darkness to remind us all that no matter how shadowy the path we walk may be, there is always light to be found.
Take Care of my Friend runs approximately 2 hours, with one intermission, is playing through April 25th at Hyde Park Theatre. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit filigreetheatre.com.
Photos courtesy of Matthew Harrington.
AUSTIN ARTS WATCH 