Review: THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING at MAIN STREET THEATER

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING is a one-woman show adapted by Joan Didion from her stunning novel of the same name. The famed author published the book version back in 2005, and it chronicled the incredible grief of her losing her husband in 2003 and also battling her daughter’s health problems. She adapted the work for the stage in 2007 and added the death of her thirty-nine-year-old daughter as a coda to the memoir as the event happened after THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING hit shelves. So, even if you have read the book, there is more to hear in the play version. Didion is an American literary treasure and icon, and she weaves hypnotic words that are thought-provoking, comforting, and revealing all at once. She is absolutely an author that I adore, and I am far from alone. Her words have a strange hypnotic power on the page, and enjoying them at Main Street Theater is so wondrous. 

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I experienced no less than three immensely close personal deaths in 2024, so this revival of the show came at a particularly opportune time for me, perhaps my own year of thinking magically. The company has employed actress Pamela Vogel to bring this work to life, and it is a wise choice. Didion comes off as part “every woman” yet also part “Cassandra,” prophetess of what will inevitably happen to us all. Everyone will lose a loved one; it is inevitable. Vogel keeps things simple and calm, never spiraling into too much grief or morass. Her version of Joan is as insightful in what she says as she is when she is quiet and contemplative. Pamela is an actress and an educator who often delves into the effects of literature and medicine, something that relates to this script all too well. She has worked in regional theaters all over and taught at universities. She will be most notable to Houston audiences for her appearances with 4TH WALL THEATRE COMPANY, Houston Grand Opera, STAGES HOUSTON, CLASSICAL THEATRE COMPANY, and, naturally, MAIN STREET THEATRE. She is a perfect choice to give voice to Joan Didion, and it’s hard even to conceive these words as not being her own. She so effortlessly delivers this monologue, and it feels as authentic and raw as… well… reading the book. You are in wonderful hands here. She is an immaculate artist. 

The actress collaborates with Main Street Theater’s Executive Artistic Director, Rebecca Greene Udden, who guides this show. They have worked together before, and the director and cast's collaboration seems flawless. Staging is as simple and elegant as the actress portraying Joan Didion, and things are kept in such a way that the words really star in this one. Rodney Walsworth has created a muted back wall with panels painted almost like a desert with pale earth tones. There is a well-appointed desk and an  Eames-style chair. Lighting by Liz Lacy moves liquidly around the actress but does make an impact when the void is discussed. Sound design by Yezmine Zepeda follows a similar suit and is coy and calm until needed.  

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING is a unique experience theatrically, and it’s certainly something to let seep into you and discuss later. I find myself just walking around the house, and a line or two will pop up in my head, and I have only seen this play once. It is that powerful, that invasive, and that universally true. Don’t fear the sober and serious topic because it is all discussed elegantly and with studied care. This is one you don’t want to miss because it is a piece that teaches you about the most important thing to know: yourself.  

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING runs at MAIN STREET THEATER in Rice Village through November 17th. Parking around Rice Village is plentiful, but be aware of the pay-for zones and business-designated spots. The show runs for one hour and thirty minutes without any intermission. It moves quickly. There is never a bad seat in MAIN STREET THEATER, so feel free to grab any chair assignment that you can find. 

Photo was taken and provided by Pin Lim 

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