Review: Raw Examination of Social Work in LUNA GALE at Seattle Rep

Rebecca Gilman's play "Luna Gale" currently performing at the Seattle Rep has no good guys in it. But then it also has no bad guys in it. Instead of preaching morality or her own agenda what she's done is to present a raw and honest look at people. You may not agree with them, but are they wrong?

Unfortunately it seems to be just another day for social worker Caroline (Pamela Reed) as she interviews a new couple, Karlie and Peter (Hannah Mootz and Drew Highlands) regarding the case about their baby daughter Luna Gale. She's been neglected to the point of hospitalization due to Karlie and Peter being strung out on meth. So now Karlie's estranged mother Cindy (Anne Allgood) is stepping in to take on the child. But she has her own agenda's as well as she wants to take full custody and raise her with her devout religious beliefs. But Karlie and Peter are trying to work things out and get their lives back in order in a system that offers little help. So who should have her? Who should decide? And what agendas might the people deciding have of their own?

It's a quite impactful and emotional story that unfortunately reflects our society all too well especially as more and more funding for social programs is cut. Gilman and director Braden Abraham brilliantly lay out the facts and the situation before us and let us make our own minds up. And that resulted in some interesting moments within the audience as pockets of laughs and reactions would come from isolated areas I assume owing to their own interpretation.

But no matter your feelings in the matter, you'll have to admit the performances are top notch. Reed, as always, brings in a layered and thoughtful performance. She takes this beaten down woman and portrays her with subtle complexity making her fascinating to watch. Mootz and Highlands take on some stunning transformations throughout the piece going from drug addled to desperate to keep their daughter. And Pilar O'Connell makes some startling but briefer transformations of her own as the young girl Lourdes who has aged out of the program and is hoping to make something of herself. Allgood, Alex Matthews and Adrian LaTourelle take on the other side of the argument beautifully especially Allgood who keeps such an unwavering stance until we see her world fall apart in one heartbreaking moment.

This may not be a story we want to see but it's certainly a situation we should see and take steps to resolve. But how to resolve it I just do not know. But what I do know is that "Luna Gale" has earned an impacted YAY with my three letter rating system. A quite hard hitting piece with a lot to say but no opinions to give.

"Luna Gale" performs at the Seattle Rep through March 27th. For tickets or information contact the Seattle Rep box office at 206-443-2222 or visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

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