Rabbit Hole explores themes of loss

Last week, I watched the courageous and artful William Wyler film The Children’s Hour. Originally a play, it’s based on a true story from 1810 about two Edinburgh school teachers whose lives were destroyed when one of their students falsely accused them of engaging in an “unnatural” relationship. During the intro, I learned about how James Garner kept co-stars Audrey Hepburn and Shirley McClain laughing in between takes.

As the movie progressed, it was easy to see how those shenanigans would have been a welcome respite, given the subject matter. It made me think about how I would recommend the film, or a similarly weighty play, to anyone. I’ve heard people say to me before, “Why watch something tragic? I only want fluff and to turn off my brain.” The answer lies somewhere inside the belief that some stories, no matter how painful, need to be told. 

With this still fresh in my mind, I then watched a tech rehearsal of Springfield Theatre Centre’s Rabbit Hole by the exceptional David Lindsay-Abaire. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama explores the emotional journey of a couple coping with profound and unthinkable loss.

Becca and Howie Corbett are suburban New Yorkers struggling to navigate life eight months after their young son, Danny, was killed in a terrible accident. They work to manage their grief and guilt, but in different ways, which begins to fray the marriage. Friends and family members, who sometimes seem insensitive or unthinking as they are grappling with their own feelings and actions, create even more tension. Watching this story unfold, I was reminded of the mantra, “You can’t tell someone how to grieve.” We all must walk that path in our own way, and the play expertly explores this very human experience with honesty and humor.

Director Adam Reisch’s passion for this play is evident in the thoughtful and tender attention given to telling the story. The casting is spot on and the set is a simple but loving depiction of the challenge facing these characters. Amid the laundry that needs folding, the birthday celebrations and obsessive baking, there are the ever-present and not-too-distant reminders of what’s been lost.

I found the cast exceptional and enjoyed seeing a mix of new faces and familiar ones who amazed with their previously unseen talents. Justine Moser as Becca expertly portrays the grieving mother only a hairline away from collapsing under the weight of her emotions. Lashing out at everyone and needing desperately to remain in control, there is a constant and underlying anguish Moser conveys which comes through as effectively during her silent moments as when she’s speaking.

Wes Bridges, as Becca’s husband, Howie, is a familiar face I mostly know from area musicals. His powerhouse vocals and big onstage presence take a pause here as Bridges walks the tightrope of a grieving father and neglected spouse. He will perform again in many musicals to come, but until then, you should definitely see him in this. 

Kate Heppe, as Becca’s irresponsible and carefree sister, Izzy, raises the stakes with her firecracker lifestyle and blunt takes. She is a welcome splash of comic relief and her character adds to the complex family dynamic, as does Nat, Becca’s mother, played by Linda Schneider. She is frustrating at times but easy to sympathize with as she’s also grappling with her own losses. 

Will Moffett as Jason, the young man who is inadvertently responsible for Danny’s death, is another performer I know mainly from musical comedies. Here, though, he is understated and heartbreakingly real. His nuanced performance is equally layered with youthful exuberance, teenage awkwardness and crushing guilt. At times, he was speaking so softly I could scarcely hear the words but I completely understood.  

Lindsay-Abaire has an extraordinary ability to treat the unthinkable truthfully and simply, and it’s on full display here. In the hands of a dedicated staff and close ensemble cast, it makes for a poignant and memorable theater experience.

Ultimately, Rabbit Hole is an exploration of how one family traverses the aftermath of tragedy, searching for comfort, answers and a path forward. This brief slice of life could be, or currently is, any one of us at any time. But you watch not to feel sad, rather, to feel hopeful. Because in the end, there is always hope – and life goes on.

Rabbit Hole continues at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday,
March 23, at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in the Peggy Ryder Theatre.
Tickets are available at HCFTA.org or at the door. The play contains some mature
language.

This article appears in Spring Guide 2025.