Theatre Review: Chapatti at Square One Theatre Company

Al Kulcsar and Lucy Babbitt

One of the challenges facing Square One Theatre Company is finding shows that will fit into their new space without making it so small that it diminishes the theatre-going experience. Artistic Director Tom Holehan has found the perfect fit with "Chapatti," now playing through March 19 at the Stratford Academy. Despite its minimal set and cast of only two actors, this play, written by Irish playwright Christian O'Reilly, fills the house with enough comedy, drama, romance, darkness, and light that patrons will leave knowing that they have enjoyed a bold and life-affirming performance.

Based on the description of the play, my expectations prior to the performance were low.  A lonely man with a dog, meets a woman with 19 cats and romance ensues. The cynic in me sneered at this premise, but luckily my trepidation was unfounded. Mr. O'Reilly has imbued these characters with many surprising layers and has written such an astonishingly beautiful and poignant script that each rises above the usual caricatures of grumpy old man and crazy cat lady to become fully fleshed out, complex individuals worthy of our sympathy, admiration, and hope for their future. 

The story of Dan and Betty is told through an artful series of monologues and encounters, each revealing just a bit more of their personalities, history and motivations. Congratulations to Al Kulcsar and Lucy Babbitt for playing these roles so excellently. Mr. Kulcsar’s Dan is a quietly simmering pot of deeply felt emotions. Dan is full of regret for the missed opportunities in life, yet he stoically soldiers on, until he decides not to. Through the course of the play, we discover the source of his regrets, the depth of his anguish, and his amazing capacity for love; emotions that Mr. Kulcsar embodies fully. 

Ms. Babbitt’s unabashed portrayal of Betty is delightful. She starts out quirky, lonely, and resigned, yet through her monologues, we discover her humor and her optimism. Getting a cat was an act of defiance during a painful past and we learn that under her shapeless denim jumper, there is a woman of strength, resilience, and power. We discover that shy, mousy Betty is actually a self-assured, fully sexual and authentic being, not only capable of giving love, but fully deserving of love in return.

The costumes by Gaetana Grinder and Kerry Lampert are perfect for the characters, from Betty’s aforementioned jumper to Dan’s brown sweater and to the bold colors worn by each on their one date. The set by Greg Fairbend, lighting by Clifford Fava, and sound by Don Henault are simple, but effective. 

Running without an intermission, the whole production is 90 minutes of well-paced, engaging, and emotional entertainment, thanks to the skillful direction of Tom Holehan and the superb actors portraying this remarkable couple of individuals who overcome their differences and difficulties to find each other. If it is the magic of theatre and great art to lead us back to our own humanity, the universal moral behind a show like “Chapatti” is not to judge others, because beneath the surface there lies hidden depths of emotion and experience that we can only guess at. We are taken on an amazing journey of discovery and the wonderful lesson that Dan and Betty, and the rest of us, learn is that we all deserve to be loved.

For My Devils and My Angels

There is a reason why some things happen in life. And there is a reason why some people come in and out of your life at different times. God sends angels, and in some cases, devils, not just to taunt you but to move you along on your journey. The key is to not get stuck. 

Now, those devils can be beguiling creatures. In the beginning, it can be all seductive smiles and laughter. It’s as exciting as a game of chance. The devils conspire to let you win a little, lose a little, then win some more. You are drawn in by the newness of it all – being swept out of the mundane into a swirling cacophony of feelings from total elation to abject misery and everything in between. This is that feeling: Being Alive. And it feels good. 

Before you know it, those devils have swept you up to dizzying heights. You take a deep breath of the cool, clean, biting air that stings your lungs just a bit. You find yourself standing on a precipice. Every possibility lies before you, infinite joy stretched across an endless sky. But you don’t dare look down. Never look down. Take a second to appreciate the moment. How exciting to be at the juncture of ‘will she or won’t she’; ‘should she or shouldn’t she.’  And to think, even if she does, what a ride it will be. What a rush. That is until the crash.  And crash you must because the air up in these heights is thin, and cannot sustain you. 

Some devils will leave you on the edge, standing there just Wanting and wondering why.  Maybe their angels have led them away. Or maybe they are just cruel. Other devils will smile, take your hand and jump with you. And why not? These unearthly creatures don’t hurt; they don’t die; they don’t care. Still others will stand behind and help you along with a good swift kick…this is a journey after all. There’s no time to stop and contemplate your life choices. Just go.

Now, if you are lucky, an angel will lead you away from the edge before you leap, or will guide you down, softening the blow. The harder lesson will be learned if you take your lumps at the bottom, and have to climb your way out of the abyss. It would be even worse for you, if, along the way, you seem to drag other lives into the chasm with you. Take someone’s innocence, take their trust, their friendship, their lives – the more lives you destroy with your own foolishness, the harder the climb. Always remember that; be aware of collateral damage. To do otherwise is nothing but selfish.

I confess, I am more familiar with devils than I am with angels. For the most part, I may have danced with the devil too many times, taken the fall, brushed myself off, and hit repeat.  Different times, different places, different faces, same result. Until that last time, when I pushed feelings aside…no, buried them, and let my brain take over saying, ”I want off this ride.” And I stopped. I allowed myself to get stuck. Because stuck is safe. And safe feels good.

Perhaps, too, the reason for my immobility could be that I no longer trusted myself to recognize an angel when I saw one. Having so often fallen for the lie, having misplaced my faith, having experienced defeat, and suffered disappointment – not just in the devil, but in myself for accepting the devil’s invitation to begin with – I’ve been led to question everything. In this case, ‘will she, or won’t she’ is followed quickly by ‘but what if’…and the imagined end result is always bad.

However, with the passage of time, I’ve come to learn some things. First of all, angels are quieter than devils. Despite reports to the contrary, I do not believe that personal angels come in the form of glaringly brilliant celestial beings trumpeting some magnificent fanfare as you are swept up into the heavens. Faced with such an ostentatious display, I would probably exclaim a loud wtf and run swiftly in the opposite direction.

Luckily, angels are stealthier. They sneak into quiet corners of our lives, no pomp, no ceremony, and no hullabaloo. They are blessedly unexpected, they are not proud or boastful, they have no agenda, and ask for nothing in return. They are just there for you. They are comfort. Angels can inspire you from afar, or appear in little gestures: a smile, a hand held, an embrace, a connection, a loving glance, lots of laughter, and sometimes even in sighs and tears. Angels encourage mobility, and offer you a safe space to make your way back to living. You will be swept out of the mundane and into a symphony of feelings from the joyful to bittersweet that lets you know that you are loved.

Angels have many faces: they can be family, friends, and even strangers, but the funny thing is they will feel familiar to you, surprising you with the ease of their acquaintance. They accept you for who you are, despite the number of times you may have fallen, and they encourage you to be the best, most authentic version of yourself that you could be. Authenticity is the key. If someone tries to force you to change, or to fit into a little box of who they think you should be, beware. Angels won’t tell you what to think or how you should feel, they simply ask, ‘what do you think?’ and ‘how do you feel?’ without judgment.

You must remember that angels have wings to fly away. There is no guarantee that your angels will always be around for you. This is the nature of the universe. But unlike the devils that leave you with nothing but a few bruises from the fall they lead you to, angels leave you with love that should always, always, always be treasured and held in your heart. 

Just as an angel supports you in every way, you want to support them, and support others in the same way. Where they inspire you, you want to inspire, when they lift you up, you want to help lift others. Love is love is love, and love grows. And it feels good.