Photo: Michele Anlicker Photography

Misery at The Dio is anything but!

A Review by Kori Fay for FindMiTheatre

There is no better replacement than a night or day spent at the theatre supporting live Art. I am reminded of this as I sit in my Dio seat awaiting to be served my yummy courses by The Annie Wilkes herself. I am here to see Misery, the Dio’s fourth of five shows this season and a thriller I have only heard of through the grapevine. Now, there might be spoilers so–just like icy roads that leave you trapped at your number one fan’s house–proceed with caution.

Misery  (the play) by William Goldman originally was a Stephen King novel. This was the only bit of information I had going in–well that and the idea that things don’t go right. And cockadoodie, they didn’t. 

Sarah Stevens leads the charge as Number One Fan of writer Paul Sheldon, Annie Wilkes. Her almost frenetic energy as this deeply, deeply, mentally unwell, unraveling but almost calculated character serves itself as the main dish that pairs nicely with Dan Morrison’s hurt, and driven to be equally as calculated writer Paul Sheldon. The two are playing a well-cast game of tennis, matching each other’s energy and deviance as the play goes on. 

What made it easy to focus on these actor’s marvelous ability to navigate emotional hallways, highs and lows, etc, was the physical set built around them to recreate actual hallways and depth. I have been an assistant director and an actor now at shows at The Dio, and I still am unsure how Matt Tomich, co-owner and human extraordinaire manages to build sets that are perfect needs for the show and also always very visually pleasing to look at. This set is no different. In fact, I think it’s one of their more beautiful sets to date. Everything on the set is made of wood. Except there are only bones of the house. So, you can see through walls, furniture, halls, etc. It was extremely poetic and cool to be thrown into a thriller that you could see so clearly and didn’t rely on camera angles and jump scares to scare you. Oh no, that comes later.

Speaking of which, I want to talk about fight/intimacy choreography. Jen Pan and Joe Wright are amazing at what they do when it comes to staging violence and intimacy and I know this feat was no different. I could tell fights and touch were done with intention and never made me wonder if someone was actually unwell. I cannot tell you how important this is to me as an audience member–I don’t want to be scared for the person being touched or hurt and I think they walked that line well here with it still being hard to watch due to some of the physical violence taking place. And bravo to the actors and fight captain Carrie Jay Sayer for keeping everything safe time and time again.

What I genuinely thought the climax was going to be was the re-breaking of the legs/ankles, but honestly, that was nothing compared to my reaction when that typewriter went across her face and she shows up with blood when she turned around. Wow! Talk about visceral. Steve DeBruyne’s directing for the win again.

I have to mention Jordan James Hayes whose calm and collected attitude as the Sheriff made me want to jump onstage and shake him and tell him GO INSIDE LOOK AROUND! 

This three-hander was really well performed by everyone behind and onstage. And of course I have to mention that I loved the meatloaf dinner this go around. The Dio Chicken is delicious, but this may give it a run for its money. 

Misery at the Dio is a masterclass in classic thriller drama adapted for the stage and I highly recommend getting yourself out to Pinckney for some meatloaf and a good time. There were times I found myself covering my mouth because I was so shocked/disappointed/scared during the action of the play.

If I could sum up this production in a sentence I’d say: Leaves you right on the edge of your blood-spattered seat asking for seconds. Get out to the Dio this spooky season!

Misery runs September 19th-October 19th

https://diotheatre.ticketleap.com/misery/