‘The Song of Grendelyn’

Playwrights Theatre in Madison premieres Russell Davis’ three-woman play.

By: Stuart Duncan

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Carol Todd (left) and Rebecca Ellis in The Song of Grendelyn at Playwrights Theatre in Madison.


   You probably have seen pictures of the house painter who has painted himself into a corner, with no hope of reaching the door across the room. I suppose playwrights must have similar thoughts about second acts that can’t fulfill the promise of provocative opening scenes. Surely The Song of Grendelyn in its world premiere at Playwrights Theatre in Madison is a blazing example of the genre. Russell Davis’ three-woman play shows ingenuity, imagination and intrigue for a good half of the evening, then allows it all to wash away in long, boring explanations, frantically trying to find that open door at the other end of the painted room.
   We begin with a sort of narrator (Dana Benningfield) casually chatting about her career as a writer of children’s books, gradually peeling away layers of information to admit a lost husband and perhaps some sadness beneath her cheery successes. And then we meet 11-year-old Siggy (Rebecca Ellis), a pert snippet of activity in what appears to be apathy. And finally, sleeping on the bed, a visitor (Carol Todd) who turns out to be a rock star of considerable notoriety, given to performing in black leather.
   Siggy is insulted because the sleeping beast has not found the guest room, but instead plunked herself down on mom’s bed. She does what any bright, motivated 11-year-old would do — she finds a stool and one of her mother’s storybooks and begins to read aloud. That rouses the beast, who threatens mayhem. Turns out she calls herself Grendelyn (remember the legend of Beowulf?) Siggy will have none of it, pronounces that she will call her Gwendoline for the good that she insists must be inside.
   And the battle is joined, with our lady of the nearby stool concerned that her daughter may not be fully prepared for the fight, but yet insisting that she has prepared her well. And by the intermission, the theater is abuzz.
   But playwright Davis already has painted himself into that corner and the only solution he finds is a rather convoluted metaphysical lecture that is destined to bore and frustrate, ending in sobs, hugs and self-pity, none of it convincing, nor really comforting. Given his trio of characters, each dug in securely, there is no other escape.
   Since this is a work-in-progress, there is still considerable hope. Mr. Davis surely can write and the three actresses most certainly can plumb the depths as well as suggest flashes of wit and humor. Perhaps rather than a rush to the current more or less happy ending, he might find an ending with greater indecision and permit the audience to choose its own heroes.
The Song of Grendelyn continues at Playwrights Theatre, 33 Green Village Road, Madison, through April 24. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m.; April 14, 5:30 p.m., April 21, 3, 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25-$27.50, $22.50-$24.75 seniors, $10 students. For information, call (973) 514-1787. On the Web: www.ptnj.org