The Resurrection Men Raises Important Questions (Review)
THE RESURRECTION MEN — GREY MATTER THEATRE
The sound of digging in a graveyard in the middle of the night is not likely to put anyone at ease, but it’s a solid opening moment for Nicholas Dunn’s new macabre comedy about grave robbing. Like the gravediggers in Hamlet, Dunn and his foil, Matt Whitaker, make a compelling comic duo as two down-on-their-luck Dickensian schemers hoping to make quick cash in the “resurrection” business. With new scientific discoveries fueling a black-market trade in fresh bodies, Hatt—a cynical veteran of Waterloo—and Fitz—a softhearted, desperate father—see an opportunity. The law only permits the use of executed criminals for dissection, but with “convictions in short supply,” resurrection men are called in to meet the demand.
Dunn’s clever dialogue and tight pacing keep the humor and pathos moving at an excellent clip. Audiences may find themselves rooting for these two ne’er-do-wells to succeed in their unsavory venture, even as deeper themes of spirituality, survival, and class emerge. Dunn’s writing is at its best when a third character, played superbly by Sara Ragey, enters the scene and complicates the relationship between the grave robbers.
The production’s strength lies in its simplicity. A few well-chosen props and clear costuming choices support the actors in telling the story. The minimal set—a simple open grave—could easily be adapted for a trap door stage. The use of darkness as a force within the world of the play is highly effective in setting the tone and building tension.
As the conflict between characters becomes increasingly fraught, the audience is left to wrestle with difficult moral questions. As the saying goes, “There is no honor among thieves,” but more pointedly: if a thief could afford honor, would he still steal? What laws—of God or man—would you break to feed your hungry child? How do we weigh the grief of one family’s loss against the potential to save many more lives? As one character states, “Laws and morality aren’t always aligned.”
This production is a fantastic treat for anyone interested in the power of intimate theatre, the talents of a local creative team, and an hour of darkly comic twists and moral turns that will leave you wanting more.
— MIRANDA GILESUTAH THEATRE BLOGGERS