REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins' The Comeuppance is both a high school reunion comedy and a sharp exploration of memory, mortality, and the passage of time. Stray Cat Theatre's current production excels with a top-notch ensemble cast and thoughtful direction. What could have easily been just another story about old friends reuniting feels alive and urgent thanks to the actors' ability to balance humor with honesty and the script, which reminds us that no one can escape the choices they make, the legacy they leave behind, or the always present notion that death isn't that far away.
Under Seth Tucker's smart direction, the ensemble cast makes the journey and exploration of the characters feel honest and immediate, delivering performances that are deeply authentic. Tucker's staging and the performances make it seem as if we're overhearing real friends navigating the uneasy blend of joy, reflection, lingering regrets, buried resentments, and the ways life has shaped them in unexpected ways.
As Emilio, who arrives to Ursula's home with the weight of old memories and unresolved feelings, Tanner J. Conley is giving an earnest and layered performance. Emilio is wrestling with old wounds while trying to reconcile who he once was with who he has become while also trying not to see his friends repeat their mistakes of the past. Tanner is great in the role. Michelle Luz is excellent as Caitlin, the woman who once dated an upperclassman who was a relative of one of this group of friends in high school, and has since moved on to a very different life, filled with unhappiness and regret. Luz does a wonderful job depicting a woman who finds herself caught between nostalgia and reality.
As Ursula, the woman who tries to keep the group in check, Iris Huey brings both bite and vulnerability. Ursula recently lost vision in one of her eyes due to diabetes and masks her insecurities with occasional sarcasm. Willa Eigo is a fireball as Kristine, the brash and direct woman who has a stressful life as a doctor and just wants one night to let loose. As Paco (Francisco), the man who dated Caitlin in high school, Phillip Herrington infuses a combination of charm and humor along with deeper moments of regret and reflection. As Simon, the friend who wasn't able to make the reunion and that we only hear on the phone, Noah Delgado injects a thoughtful presence into his voiceovers that give clarity to his thoughts and feelings.
Fortunately, Eric Beek's set design is superb, evoking a realistic yard in a small Maryland home. Pete Bish's sound and the props by Dolores E. Mendoza add authenticity to the production, as do the character-specific costume designs by Jessie Tully. Stacey Walston's lighting is excellent, providing the perfect touch, along with Bish's sound, for the otherworldly moments when Death speaks to the audience.
With a smart, moving script and a cast that fully invests in its characters, Stray Cat's production of The Comeuppance is both humorous and heartbreaking. It may leave you reflecting on your own life choices and the realization that we aren't here for an infinite amount of time, so we need to treat each other better and ensure that those we love do not repeat mistakes, just as we do our best to do the same.