Reviews of shows on Cape stages now

Cape premiere of Cheryl Strayed's book is a lesson in empathy

“Tiny Beautiful Things”

Written by: Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed; adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail, and Vardalos.

What it’s about: A writer takes on the role of advice columnist “Dear Sugar” and endeavors to answer searingly poignant questions with examples from her own life and learnings.  Knowing a thing or two about pain, Sugar can relate to other’s sufferings and reveals private and traumatic memories that her readers find helpful and comforting. The letters and Sugar are real ― and knowing that makes this theater experience all the more powerful.

Highlight of the show:  William Mullin, Tom Sharp and Anne Stott portray dozens of characters of all ages and persuasions while Sara Fitzpatrick as Sugar doles out advice. Together they create an astonishingly moving and beautiful experience.  The assurance that another flawed human being answers each request with love and respect for both herself and the questioner moves beyond comforting to thrilling. 

Fun Fact: The Provincetown Theater is hosting the Outer Cape premiere of “Tiny Beautiful Things.”  It’s based on the book with the same name by Cheryl Strayed who also wrote the bestseller that became the Reese Witherspoon movie “Wild.”  Nia Vardalos is best known for writing and starring in the Romcom film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” After adapting Strayed’s book for the stage, Vardalos went on to star in two sold-out runs of the play in New York and Pasadena.

See it or not: Rearrange your schedule and see this play! The fact that it’s in Provincetown shouldn’t be an excuse not to get there because it’s completely worth your time.  Undoubtedly, a letter-writer’s pain will resonate, and the answer will bring you back from the brink … but bring a hanky.  Maybe two.  And don’t bring anyone under 16.  The subject matter can be triggering and is for a mature audience only.

Worth noting: Fitzpatrick is dazzling as Sugar and is a wholly relatable and approachable package.  It’s nearly impossible to disengage from watching her emotional delivery of her lines and when she’s talking, she’s the only person in the room. Early on, she says “be brave enough to break your own heart.” You may feel your own heartbreak or only empathy for others in deep pain, but Fitzpatrick picks up the pieces and puts it back together even when you don’t see it coming.

One more thing: “Tiny Beautiful Things” is 85 minutes long with no intermission.  It touches on so many pain points that the audience is heard sniffling throughout.  Seeing and hearing a self-acknowledged, imperfect person share about forgiveness of herself and others is a quiet lesson in self-acceptance.  “Tiny Beautiful Things” is like running to a loved one with a boo-boo and having the pain and trauma kissed away.

If you go: 7 p.m. Thursdays – Saturdays through Dec. 4. The Provincetown Theater, 234 Bradford St., Provincetown. Tickets $40. Boxoffice@Provincetowntheater.org, 508-487-7487. Sensitive topics ― 16 and older.

― Shannon Goheen

'A Child's Christmas in Wales' is return to a simpler time

Name of show: “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”

Written by: Dylan Thomas; directed by Stephen Rourke; performed by Eventide Theatre Co.

What it’s about: The late, great poet Dylan Thomas recalls one magical holiday from his childhood in Wales, celebrating Christmas Day and evoking the joys and wistful memories of a simpler time. There are presents, toffee and marzipan, turkey and Christmas pudding, carols and stories in the evening lamplight, and church bells, ringing from the “bat-black, snow-white belfries, tugged by bishops and storks.”

See it or not: Thomas’ irresistible account, adapted into this full-length musical play, poetically describes the joyous winters of his boyhood in the 1920s, where he tells us he “can’t remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.”

Director Stephen Rourke and his cast have captured affectionate memories of Christmases past, perhaps bringing up some of our own, just beyond our reach, but ones we still recall – or think we do.

A young Dylan (Connor McLeod) and his father (Michael Weber) beautifully convey generous swatches of the poet’s words, and the fun and delight each cast member depicts on stage seems spontaneous, the affection among them real.

Highlights: No rubber stamping here ― a dozen fine cast members excel at taking on the singular personalities of multiple characters. Most double ― or even triple up ― on their roles, often hilariously. Toby Wilson appears as a speech-prone anti-capitalist uncle one minute, and a few seconds later comes on stage as a fireman, mustache in place (just barely), arriving with his troops to put out a kitchen fire that’s just destroyed the turkey. In other scenes, Wilson’s a droll, scarf-wearing kid, out in the snow with Dylan and friends. Part of the play’s fun is watching for these quick changes that run throughout the scenes.

Whether it’s hurling snowballs at the neighborhood cats, trekking across the snowbound park with his friends, or telling ghost stories in the glow of lantern light, surrounded by his family, each scene depicts young Dylan’s delight in his childhood universe.

Interesting facts: The original “Child’s Christmas” was first recorded by Thomas and broadcast as a story on BBC Radio in the early 1950s, then published in book format in 1954. The recording itself became a classic, and has been described as instrumental in launching the audiobook industry in the United States.

Worth noting: An on-its-toes audience will be on the lookout for the well-known carols and hymns that supply much of the musical score, albeit with words sometimes changed, adding to the show’s gentle humor. Listen for “All Through the Night,” “God of Grace,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful,” “I Saw Three Ships” and many more.

One more thing: The Thomas family’s Christmas night entertainment is a marvelous combination of carols, bawdy songs of the day, ghost stories (“Tell a tale of something terrible,” they urge), dancing and more. The tale ends with the words that cap off this beautiful trip back in time: “I turned the gas down, I got into bed. I said some words to the close and holy darkness, and then I slept.”

If you go: Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 4. Gertrude Lawrence Stage at Dennis Union Church, 713 Main St., Dennis. $31; children under 12, $16 (Dec. 3, 2 p.m. only). Box office: (508) 233-2148, eventidearts.org/

― Barbara Clark

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'Tiny Beautiful Things,' 'Christmas in Wales' are a holiday treat