“Cry It Out” reviewed by Frank Meccia

[rating=4]This little 30-seat theatre on Jarvis Street in Chicago produced some really exceptional stories that you do not see elsewhere in the Chicagoland area. “Cry It Out” is a great play for mothers, who will completely understand what these two unlikely neighbors/ friends are going through. The play starts out with Jessie, played by Allyson Womack, a corporate lawyer from Manhattan up for a partner, who just had a baby 7 weeks (about 1 and a half months) ago. Lina, played by Daniella Rukin is a night nurse manager who just had a baby 2 months ago, and shares the same backyard considering they are living in a duplex. They live in a nice middle-class suburb of Long Island, where the cliffs above them have the neighborhood of Sands Point, where they look down on this little community, and some even use a telescope to spy on their neighbors. Both have busy husbands who have long commutes for work, so the woman yearn for talking companions.

One day at the local Stop & Save Jessie jumps out and starts a conversation with her neighbor and invited her to coffee, the next day. They both find a central spot in the backyard where they are in baby monitor range and a friendship develops. Here they get to discuss the feelings of raising a child, their interpersonal relations of being a parent, and  their fears, and dreams. The strange part is these two women are from different worlds. Jessie a lawyer was from money, her husband is from money, Lina is working class, she is 5 years sober, and because her husband barely makes a living,  she needs to go back to work after her maternity leave is over. If it were not for having a baby, these two would never be friends.

So everyday morning and afternoon they meet in their backyard and hash out their feelings. At one point ,Lina is surprised that Jessie bought her French vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts and this sisterhood develops. One day a neighbor, Mitchell played by Barry Irving comes to their house and tells them he has been watching them every day and has seen how their friendship has developed, and would they be willing to take in his wife into their coffee clutch time, because she has not bonded with their child.

Mitchell being from Sands Point, is very wealthy, so they have a live-in babysitter, a housekeeper, and a private secretary for his wife, His cold aloof wife Adrienne is played by Cat McGee, she really has the snobby rich girl attitude down pat, was fun watching her do it. Reluctantly the duo tries to become a trio, but with very mixed results, This is a great comedy with dark edges, because it takes an honest look at being a parent, the power of female relationships, and the dilemma every working mother faces after having a child. Do I really want to go back to work? This young human is so dependent on me, how can I leave it?Melanie McNulty did a superb job of bringing out the strengths of everyone, with the staging being just a backyard works great for a small theatre. My only complaint is when Adrienne eggs their house, they should  not use real eggs,( remember there is a national shortage of eggs and at $5.00 a dozen a waste of money.) and the cleanup that ensues. How about having her hold a dozen eggs and about to throw one, when she gets caught?

The play is an hour and forty minutes long with no intermission, and because the theatre is so small, masks must be worn.

“Cry It Out” will continue at Above The Law Theatre thru April 2nd with performances as follows:

Fridays  8 p.m.

Saturdays  8 p.m.

Sundays  3 p.m.

Ticket prices are General admission $25.00, Seniors and students $20.00.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at www.theatreatl.org .

The Theatre above the law is located at  Jarvis Theatre1439 w. Jarvis, Chicago. Plenty of street parking nearby.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Cry It Out”.