Life is a constant parade of decisions, influenced at their core through years of joy and pain, through triumph and trauma. But what becomes of us when the weight of life’s heavy hand is too much for us to handle?
The exploration of that question, and much more, arrives by way of Duality, the completion of writer and director Anthony M. Laura’s memory trilogy of plays that includes The Girl With the Red Hair (2022) and Shadows (2023).
The story of Duality introduces us to Camilla Knightley, played with beautiful grace by Caroline Ghosn, who is in the final stages of planning a 75th birthday party for her grandmother. Under mounting pressure from friends, family, and a stranger who uncovers a hidden secret, Camilla is forced to come to terms with a decade old trauma and the memories of a lost relationship that tests the limits of her grip on reality.
The burden of Camilla’s search for peace in a cacophony of failure, loss, and doubt is one many share, the pervading questions of purpose and the point of any of it handled gently yet with necessary force by Laura, who once again shows tremendous skill in the written word and the ability to achieve an emotional connection between actor and audience.
Touching upon themes of family, sexual abuse, suicide, mental health, and the unreliable nature of memory, Duality rings a solid note in bringing the memory trilogy to a close.
Led by Ghosn, the cast of Duality offers performances that are sure to linger. Meg Joshi shines, bringing memories of Sandrine to the forefront of Camilla’s journey, while doubling up as Emilia, a singer hired by Camilla to perform at her grandmother’s party. In either role, her pairing with Ghosn is sweet and meaningful, a touching lift to a story filled with trials.
Olivia Haley Young and Chelsea MacLaren, as Camilla’s sisters Celeste and Sadie respectively, offer powerful performances that embody the difficulties inherent in a sibling dynamic, while Candy Dato (reprising her role as Tabitha from Red Hair)and Susan Neuffer (reprising her role as Stella from Shadows) echo that hot and cold sibling nature through a more experienced and aged lens, each with poise and some much-needed fire.
Like the unhoused young woman that she portrays, Courtnie Keaton’s performance as Lucy is subtle and arrives in unexpected and direct ways, carrying her scenes with a hopeful yet jaded air.
Brianne Buishas’ rendition of the bubbly and overly-enthusiastic Eloise is like a ten-piece band of humor and boundary-pushing awkwardness wrapped in a cozy and familiar blanket on a cold night. It’s everything the audience and Camilla need, delivered in a measure of containment that was quite impressive.
In contrast, Alexandra Rooney levels off Eloise’s boundless energy with her performance of Regan, portraying her plight of teenage pregnancy with a calm and measured hand, sharp and intelligent in her approach, a notable presence whether at the forefront or in the mix.
As a finale to a trilogy, Duality serves its purpose, tenderly closing an arc that covers an emotional gamut of plights and pains. On its own, Duality drives home the difficulties of family, how far we can drift from one another, and the lengths—some of them stark and difficult to face—we must journey to mend open wounds. Laura chooses his words carefully, never wandering too far from the point, and once more excels in the director’s chair, guiding his troupe to another success.
Duality is currently on a limited run through December 21st, at the A.R.T/New York Theatres, Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre. Tickets are available but selling out fast. Take the shot on this one. It will be well worth your time.
I Have a Wrong Way to Go (until I find the right one) 