Ben Schnetzer, Susan Kelechi Watson, Mark McKinney, Helen Hunt and Kirsten Foster in Eureka Day at The Old Vic.
Photo by Manuel Harlan
Strong individual performances but a show that drags under the guise of the “should-we-shouldn’t-we?” when it comes to vaccinating for MMR
When I heard about this play, I wasn’t sure what to think as I hadn’t heard of Helen Hunt – nor was I aware of Jonathan Spector’s work. Now, I’m all for trying a new piece of theatre that had been ladled with heaped praise coming from over the pond.. The Old Vic website describes it as follows:
Every child is welcomed at the progressive Eureka Day school in Berkeley, California – it’s a point of pride for the parents on the Executive Committee. But when a public health scare erupts, it turns out tolerance and togetherness are no match for mumps…
In Jonathan Spector’s timely and hysterical comedy, polite debate descends into ideological warfare, as a democratic utopia tears itself apart. Academy, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets, The Sessions, Mad About You) stars alongside Kirsten Foster (Life of Pi, West End), Mark McKinney (Superstore), Ben Schnetzer (Pride) and Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us), directed by Katy Rudd (Camp Siegfried, The Ocean at the End of the Lane). A co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions
The stage for this is a really nice feature, it feels like you’re in a box that encapsulates the tensions about to be raised in this dramatic piece. Though, for me, this story about “big questions” just felt too broad and just like something that really went on when it could have sharply cut and done and dusted in a 90-minute one act play. The funniest part was the ten minutes before the first act ended, looking at human behaviour online. I wish that there was more of that, but otherwise the play did jump up off not nearly as much as I’d liked it to have.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the individual performances were searingly captivating (especially from Susan Kelechi Watson and Kirsten Foster) but the rambling of ideas and lack of set movement and connectedness made this fall flat for me. I was, at times, just boring. I wish it success, even if I felt after years of discussions re: COVID vaccines that a night at the theatre is one to avoid anything that could even bring a glimmer of “lockdown” back.
On until 31 October: https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/event/eureka-day
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