‘No Wake’ leaves hangover of bad marriages, problematic parenting

For most parents, the death of a child is the most devastating occurrence imaginable. So what playwright William Donnelly suggests in “No Wake,” now in its Midwest premiere by Route 66 Theatre Company, might be viewed by many as a heretical attitude, no matter what the mitigating circumstances.

The dirty little secret that seems to underlie this 80-minute play is that in some cases, especially when a grown child has become unmanageable, and a destructive force in a marriage — the death of that “child” might come as a relief. And as the title suggests, any socially acceptable vigil for the deceased would be an artificial ritual.

That is a radical notion of course, and one that needs to be justified by a great mountain of evidence. We get none of that evidence in “No Wake.” Instead, Donnelly gives us two characters — Nolan (Stef Tovar), an admitted failure at relationships, and his still sexy, remarried ex-wife, Rebecca (Lia Mortensen) — who seem so detached from the disappearance, death and later discovery of their daughter, Suki, that you can only conclude something profound has been missing in their emotional makeup all along.

In fact, as they chat in a hotel room and bar (the handsome, cleverly lit design of Brian Sidney Bembridge), they give the impression of having been such narcissists that Suki (whose age is never specified, but who seems to have been in her late teens or early twenties), must have had every reason to act out. In addition, the scenes between the two men, who are at odds with their manhood in different ways, also feel more constructed than genuine.

The tone is just decidedly wrong here in too many ways, with the comic leavening provided by Rebecca’s second husband, the tragicomic but talkative Englishman, Roger (the terrific Raymond Fox, whose opening and closing monologues are deftly written, and superbly performed), amusing, but artificial. The only thing that even partially rings true here is that a certain chemistry between Edward and Rebecca continues to emit sparks, and that Nolan has conveniently kept his current girlfriend far from the gathering.

‘NO WAKE’

Somewhat recommended

When: Through Feb. 7

Where: Route 66 Theatre Company, at Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln

Tickets: $35

Info: (773) 404-7336; www.greenhousetheater.org

Run time: 80 minutes, with no intermission

As for just where this gathering unfolds is a bit of a mystery, although it seems to be the place where Suki’s long missing body has turned up. The time frame and nature of her tragedy is kept murky in the most annoying way. So is any sense of her problems, aside from her refusal to communicate. Was it drugs, or mental illness, or just rabid orneriness? Or was it pure parental failure? Were Nolan and Rebecca ever truly shattered by the loss? Doesn’t seem like it; they’re too busy taking care of themselves.

Under Kimberly Senior’s direction, not even the expert work by these three fine veteran performers can compensate for the play’s weaknesses. Grief doesn’t have to take the form of a great sob-fest. But for Donnelly’s premise to work, a profound sense of loss – which doesn’t even surface believably when Nolan and Rebecca sort through Suki’s few possessions – must be palpable. There is just far too much missing here.