A Milestone Anniversary
Celebrating 25 years of independent drama, The Gift Theatre has launched its latest production, the Chicago premiere of Irish playwright Marina Carr’s Marble. Directed by Kay Martinovich, the play is currently running at King’s Hall in the Copernicus Center, situated in the company’s home neighborhood of Jefferson Park.
The Anatomy of a Dream
The narrative centers on two long-time friends, Ben (John Gawlick) and Art (Paul D’Addario), whose stable, predictable lives are upended by a shared, surreal experience. After work, Art confesses to an erotic dream involving Ben’s wife, Catherine (Brittany Burch), set in a room of marble and glowing white sheets. The tension shifts from uncomfortable to existential when Ben discovers that Catherine has experienced the identical dream.
As the story unfolds, the play examines the nature of the “nuclear family” and the fluidity of identity within a marriage. Cyd Blakewell portrays Art’s wife, Anne, a character grappling with the constraints of a paternalistic society, finding her only rebellion in domestic neglect and early-day drinking. The production uses the characters as conduits for broader questions about how we construct our realities: do we build our identities through our own agency, or are we merely living out structures carved by others?
Production and Staging
Director Kay Martinovich has opted for a minimalist, high-stakes staging, keeping all four actors on stage for the majority of the two-hour performance. This choice intensifies the psychological weight of the dialogue. The production’s technical elements—including Merje Veski’s neo-midcentury modern scenic design and Diane D. Fairchild’s shifting lighting—serve to emphasize the cold, blank-slate nature of the couples’ lives. Dialect coach Brigid Duffy has helped the cast adopt subtle, lilting Irish accents, which reviewers note adds a layer of universality to the dark humor and emotional intensity of Carr’s writing.
Stakes and Themes
Marble is characterized by its architectural metaphors, which lead the audience to question the foundations of their own lives. The play touches on themes reminiscent of Objectivism, prompting reflection on whether the characters are acting as individualists or trapped in rigid, predetermined social roles. The production is a demanding mental and emotional workout, staying true to The Gift Theatre’s long-standing reputation for fearless acting and unconventional staging. The play is scheduled to run through August 30.