The Year Of Magical Thinking: Two Women Alone

Just as everyone deals with the grief of the loss of a loved one in their own personal way, I imagine individual reactions to The Year Of Magical Thinking, a stage adaptation of Joan Didion's memoir recounting her own grieving process after the loss of her husband, will be quite varied and, ultimately, personal.  I certainly have no complaints about the quality of the material and the performance of Vanessa Redgrave as the author, and though I left the theatre unmoved but admiring, I imagine many others will find it an overwhelming theatrical experience.

Published in 2005, Didion's book tells of the quick and unexpected death of her husband John Gregory Dunne during a time when their daughter Quintana was in a coma.  When Quintana passed away shortly after the book was released, Didion declined to revise her work for future publishings, but she does address it for the stage adaptation.

"It happened on December 30^th, 2003.  It seems like a while ago but it won't when it happens to you… and it will happen to you," Redgrave tells us in a voice that emotes a detatched gentleness.  For the most part, director David Hare's production is emotionally Spartan, as perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Didion's text is its simple frankness.  The "Magical Thinking" of the title refers to a survivor's inclination to replay the events of the day and imagine how she could have avoided the tragedy with a seemingly insignificant action.

Set designer Bob Crowley places a single chair on a bare stage.  Behind Redgrave is a series of curtain backdrops that periodicaly fall to the floor, disappearing into trap doors, leaving the character visiably lonlier as the evening progresses.

With the actress seated during nearly the entire performance, the effect is that, perhaps, you are visiting a widow you hadn't seen since that dreadful day and are simply making the obligatory conversation over tea.  You don't expect her to entertain, but her dignity and eloquence pulls you in.  As a character portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave,  Joan Didion is aloof but admirable in her cool, analytical demeanor.  No matter how the material may strike you emotionally, this is fine storytelling all around.  Magical?  Perhaps.  Thinking?  Certainly.

Photos of Vanessa Redgrave by Bridget Lacombe