Everything is so outside of our control. Statement about life as we currently live it or direct quote from a Durang play that premiered in 1983? Why not both? And in case you weren’t satisfied with the level of absurdity pervading the daily news and the generalized existence of this country, The Audrey Herman Spotlighters’ theatre gives you even more absurdity with the penultimate play of their 62nd season. Baby With the Bathwater, written by Christopher Durang and Directed by Michael Blum is, if nothing else, absurd. It’s well-acted and pretty well-paced (the whole thing, intermission included, comes in at just over an hour and a half) but it’s certainly an odd duck. Or an odd…something.
The bigger question for this particular show might be where exactly it belongs in the theatrical pantheon, or rather, does it still have a place? Those in the younger generations, GenZ and beyond, might walk away from this experience feeling like Christopher Durang is limited in his understanding of gender (there’s literally a line in the play that says “I believe gender’s a fact not a decision.”) while the Gen-X and the Boomers might walk away wondering what they just watched and why. Meanwhile those of us in the Lost Gen and Millennials will be having triggering flashbacks to the acting classes we took where shows like this were all the rage. It’s an absurdist piece, for certain…leaning into Ionesco territory…a ‘comedy’ is more up for debate and interpretation, but it’s well-performed. And in the interest of full-disclosure, there were about a dozen people in the house the afternoon this show was reviewed, and one can’t help but wonder if the house were fuller would the experience of this show have been more dynamic.
Aside from the show’s curiously out-of-date subject approach, the production’s only real issue is the sound design, or rather ill-use and lack thereof. What’s unfortunate is that Director Michael Blum, who doubles up as the show’s sound designer, does have some very creepy ‘children’s’ music set for pre-show and there are sound effects cued throughout, like the crying baby, barking dog, playground background noise, etc. But where the show desperately needs sound bites— the changes between scenes in darkness and stillness— there’s nothing. Also the scene change where we have stage hands scattering toys all over the nursey for a visual is completely unnecessary and just takes up time. ‘Daisy’ never plays with them and it takes way longer to set them up and clean them up and they’re simply surplus to requirement, especially if you aren’t going to have one of those haunting lullaby songs from the pre-show mix playing over it.
Sound and subject notwithstanding, Justin Nepomuceno’s scenic design is appropriately jarring. Those harsh primary colors all over the baby-nursery space really pull you into what could almost be a childhood horror story. The ABC blocks on the support columns, the geometric-patterned floor painted in primary colors plus orange and green; it all looks like proper childhood nightmare fuel and functions well from a ‘usage standpoint.’ (Although it’s questionable when Blum has the ‘park scene moms’ hanging out in one of the little corners at the top of that scene, making it difficult to see if you’re basically anywhere in the theater-in-the-square house except the side where they’re sitting.) Costume Designer Julia Golbey deserves praises for outfitting the supporting characters divinely, as they are constantly flipping their roles around— particularly for the multitude of characters played by Evangeline Ridgaway and Rose Wallace. Golbey gets nods, in conjunction with Properties Designers Zoë Nowoslawski, Jamie Suthard, and Michael Blum, for the ‘parrot umbrella’ seen on Nanny and the ‘Daisy-laundry-pile’ featured in one of the middle-scenes.
Blum does drive the pacing of this show, which is important. If you’re left to linger too long on what’s happening, the absurdity might start to settle and you might find yourself more revolted than confused. And performances across the board are solid, particularly from those who are only experienced in the back-half of the performance. Ifechukwu “Iffy” Alachebe plays Daisy’s Therapist, only appearing in one of the corners, remaining seated for most of the scene that the character occupies, and yet Alachebe’s performance is one of the most grounded and realistic in the production. (Even absurdism needs roots in reality.)
The other character to whom the audience gets limited exposure is Daisy (Teagle Walker.) Which is delightfully ironic as most of the play is spent fussing over/about Daisy. When Walker finally assumes the stage, which isn’t until halfway through the second act, you get this vivacious and almost bombastic burst of realistic energy. Walker’s Daisy could almost be the realistic human from an ordinary heartfelt drama that somehow stepped on a wormhole and got sucked into this Durang insanity. The glorious composure with which Walker presents the character, despite all of the chaos that has informed the character’s existence is something to truly marvel over and when you watch Walker in the final scene it’s actually a really beautiful moment (played opposite of Rose Wallace as yet another character that she gets to be in this bizarre play.)
You have John (Russell Sorbello) and Helen (India Cochrane) who are the model of the anti-parent? Their dynamics are all over the place and it almost feels like Sorbello’s John and Cochrane’s Helen are playing in two different productions at the same time, which might be intentional or might just be a directorial mismatch. Given the deranged nature of the script itself, it’s very difficult to say. Cochrane has a more steady ebb and flow to her character, transitioning Helen through periods of extremely absurd intensity and melancholy, while Sorbello’s John is more monotonous and generally down-sliding from charged to depressed to drunk. Both actors have a good sense of their spatial awareness and their sense of how to navigate the tricky space that is the Spotlighters’ stage. And when they argue, it feels real enough.
Rose Wallace (Cynthia, Angela, Miss Pringle, Susan) and Evangeline Ridgaway (Nanny, Kate, Mrs. Willoughby) are the show-stealers. With their multitude of characters— each having a different attitude, accent, vocal affectation, and physical presentation, both Wallace and Ridgaway bring relatable absurdist humor to the table. Ridgway’s Nanny is like the drunken, dark-Disney version of Mary Poppins, popping in to cause chaos and turmoil instead of being practically perfect and her accent is spot-on. Her one-liners in that role are hilarious. And as the principal, Mrs. Willoughby, she makes you both want to laugh and simultaneously punch her in the face for all of her nonsense. Wallace perhaps shows the most versatility in the performance, starting off as Cynthia— the deranged hobo who accidentally let her dog eat her own baby and therefore wishes to steal baby Daisy away from Helen and John. The hard-edged accent she gives Angela (not to mention the dayglow orange sports gear she wears in that scene) is as harsh as her first characterization is loony. And her determined dedication as Miss Pringle is sweet but not saccharine. There’s a mellowness to her Susan, which plays nicely with Teagle Walker’s Daisy in the final scene of the show.
While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s certainly an experience and it’s moves quickly. It’s rarely produced these days and is a chance to see an off-the-wall Durang done with a good bunch of talented actors and clear design concepts.
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with one intermission
Baby With the Bathwater plays through May 18th 2025 at The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre— 817 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore MD. For tickets call the box office at (410) 752-1225 or purchase them online.
