A play review: "Wit"

When we see a show, we react to more than the playwright's words, the actors' skills and the staging. When we enter the theater, we bring in the sum of our experiences and prejudices. So, it was with the revival of “Wit” that I found myself reacting; not only to Margaret Edson's powerfully moving play and Cynthia Nixon's strong performance, but also to the many people I have known who have succumbed to cancer.

The play begins with Dr. Vivian Bearing, an English professor who specializes in the poetry of John Donne, instructing us to watch her play. Since the doctors have given her a short time to live, the play will be short (under two hours). She has been diagnosed with stage four metastatic ovarian cancer, which is almost always a death sentence. She is a candidate for an experimental chemotherapy drug. It's hard to imagine how a topic like this can create humor and yet “Wit” has the audience laughing (often almost ashamedly) because of Bearing's own 'wit' and black humor.

Wearing two hospital gowns and a baseball cap over her head (hairless from the chemo), Bearing tries to maintain the steely demeanor that epitomized her academic career. One of the research fellows, who is ironically a former student of hers, tells the nurse that Bearing was an incredibly tough teacher and most of the students hated her. For Bearing, that is a compliment because she prides herself on her strength and fortitude. In fact, later when the nurse urges the doctor to reduce the strength of the chemo, Bearing insist she can take it.

Both the young doctor and Bearing are uncomfortable with the almost reversal of their situation. He sees her as research, but dutifully (as part of his medical training) always offers a perfunctory "how are you?" In an ironic moment, he finds out that he was her student and only got an A-. Then, degradingly he gives her a pelvic exam and she wryly observes, "I wish I had given him an "A."

As a professor, Bearing was demanding, aloof and impersonal. She also had no real interpersonal relationships. When her disease progresses, she yearns for a personal touch, even from her sweet nurse about whom she continues to make sarcastic comments to the audience.

As Bearing, MTC regular Cynthia Nixon, herself a cancer survivor, gives her usual impressive performance. Unfortunately, at times her voice quality seems a bit querulous and almost whiny, so she didn't always come across as indomitable as Vivian should be. At other times she was more forceful and convincing. Edson's character is never weak except for the last moments. However, at times, Nixon seems too vulnerable.

When “Wit” debuted 15 years ago, it was in an intimate theater and the closeness added to the connection the audience made with Bearing. Sadly, today our relationship with cancer has changed. Despite many advances, most of us have suffered some loss due to the insidious disease. In addition, other things have remained constant-death and sometimes indifference from overworked, understaffed and underpaid medical personnel who can't or don't react with empathy.

Is it any wonder that we were all in tears?