Review: LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT at St Louis Actors’ Studio

The St. Louis theatre scene has an embarrassment of riches. Frequently renowned theatrical artists often visit our city to create art. Audiences are familiar with the many of the well-known actors who grace the local stages in plays, musicals, and cabaret performances. But in addition to the audience facing artists, St. Louis has had the good fortune to have many highly experienced directors and designers visit the city to work on productions. 

The current production of Eugene O’Neill’s LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT at St. Louis Actors’ studio is one such example. Famed actor, director, and playwright Austin Pendelton directs the production. Pendelton is easily recognizable for his hundreds of on-screen appearances in movies and TV, having acted in many box-office hits throughout his lengthy career.  

Pendleton’s stage directing and credits are many, having worked with some of the most notable names in the theater. He is a Tony nominated director, and his skills are currently on display at St. Louis Actor’s studio in a stinging production of the O’Neill drama. Pendelton uses the intimate space of the Gaslight Theater to draw the audience into the addiction riddled troubles of the Tyrone family.  

O’Neill’s biting script is loaded with piercing, cutting dialogue. Pendelton has ensured that every knifelike jab lands with emotional authenticity compliments of his cast’s razor sharpened tongues. His has paced the drunken, drug affected dialogue of O’Neill’s garrulous words to maximize fervent impact. There were many instances where audible audience reactions to O’Neill’s coarse dialogue illustrated Pendelton’s meticulous care in staging an authentic production of the semi-autobiographical masterpiece.  

The cast includes Dustin Petrillo as Edmund, the character based on O’Neill in his mid-twenties, Joel Moses as his older brother James Tyrone, Jr., William Roth as his father James, and Meghan Baker as his morphine addicted mother Mary. The family’s Irish maid Cathleen is played by Bridgette Bassa, who adopted an authentic sounding Irish brogue for her small by memorable portrayal. 

Petrillo and Moses are riveting as Edmund and James Jr. The brothers seem to have a tight bond until James verbally berates Edmund to express hatred and inflict guilt. Moses spews his abhorrence in a cruel scenery chewing performance while the equally talented Petrillo reacts to Moses with repugnant disgust. Both actors give emotionally charged and combustible portrayals, working together and with Baker and Roth.  

There is no shortage of linguistic pugilism in both Baker and Roth’s vicious performances. Baker’s morphine laced faux sweetness bites like rabid dog when vomiting saccharine sounding insults at her husband and children. She looks lovely in Costume Designer Teresa Doggett’s perfectly pressed period costumes further adding to the juxtaposition of her drug-induced bitterness cloaked in her buttoned-up youthful appearance.  

Both Baker and Roth have youthful on-stage appearances except for Baker’s silver wig and Roth’s tussled gray hair. Roth appears age appropriate to make it plausible that he would be father to a thirty-year old son. Baker on the other hand looks far too youthful to be the mother of Edmond, in his mid-twenties, much less a son who is thirty-something. Baker’s acting was convincing, but her unaged facial features and hands challenged the authenticity of her strong portrayal. Her stage appearance needs gentle character make-up to age her by a decade or more.  

Roth keeps James’ (the father) emotions simmering just under the boiling point. His work with Baker conveys the loving care and disappointment in a spouse who has succumbed to disabling addiction, while ignoring his own functional alcoholism. His characterization and acting choices keep James immune to emotional triggers. The exchanges with Edmund and James, Jr. may have felt more genuine with a more indignant delivery, responding to their ire with angered and outraged fire. 

This is an elegant production of LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT with a touch of surrealism. The creative team have taken O’Neill’s story and leaned into quaint imagery to enhance the story telling. Doggett’s period costumes designs are elevated by her tailoring and sumptuous fabric choices. Patrick Huber’s minimalist, but highly effective scenery and lighting design were complimented by Kristi Gunther’s oceanfront inspired sound design. The serenity created by the technical elements added to Pendelton’s directorial vision to counterbalance O’Neill’s scripted brutality. 

A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, regarded as the masterpiece of Eugene O’Neill’s career, shows his family’s excruciating addiction, faultfinding, hopelessness, depression, and inhumanity. Pendelton captures O’Neill’s agonizing story in a well-acted and sophisticated production.  

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio production of A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT continues at the Gaslight Theater through February 23, 2025. Click the link below to purchase tickets.  

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