In the hands of a lesser writer, this play might have been moribund or excessive, but under the penmanship of Amy Herzog, it is tender, engaging, even humorous. Mary Jane, now playing at the Old Fitz, features an all-female cast, impressive set and production design and a story that feels both epic and intimate.
The eponymous Mary Jane is a single mother trying to care for her two-year-old boy, who has cerebral palsy, a lung infection and regular seizures. She lives in a small apartment in Queens, New York and relies on the good hearts of the building supervisor, an agency nurse and her boss for the overwhelming medical expense and attention her son Alex requires.
We enter Mary Jane’s story in what seems to be a typical scenario: the building supervisor, Ruthie, is attending to a blocked drain, equipment beeps in Alex’s room prompting Mary Jane to check on him, and Sherry, a nurse, comes into the apartment with the sort of relaxed familiarity that suggests she has been doing this for a while.
As the story progresses it becomes clear that Alex’s condition is worsening – the prognosis was never good to begin with – and we move from Mary Jane’s apartment to a hospital ward and waiting room. There isn’t much more to tell in the way of major plot points. Mary Jane is a slowly unfolding story of a harsh reality told in a series of delicate revelatory moments.
Each of the handful of characters has a significant scene with Mary Jane; each scene has its own poignancy. It is the conversations, the interactions in these scenes that not only help fill in Mary Jane’s backstory, but also allow space for her character to attain more depth and scope.
Though ostensibly mundane, the scenes in Mary Jane are beautifully crafted by Herzog, providing relief from what could potentially be a claustrophobic, repetitive trudge.
Production elements are fundamental to the success of Herzog’s play, and in this rendering by Mi Todo Productions, those elements are consummate. Rachel Chant directs with emotional discerning, delivering the gravity of the story with an even blend of pragmatism, humour and elegance.
Eloise Snape is superb as Mary Jane; she plays her with controlled intensity, revealing the character’s inner thoughts and emotions with skilful nuance. Mary Jane is in every scene and every scene is sharply focused on her, so for Snape to make it work is indeed impressive.
The remaining four cast members play two characters each. Janine Watson first appears as Sherry and then returns as Dr Toros. Each character is calming and practical, and Watson has the sort of strong stage presence that delivers those traits.
Di Adams plays the diametrically opposed Ruthie, the rugged but soft-hearted building supervisor and Tenkei, a late-blooming Buddhist nun who provides some welcome comic relief.
Isabel Burton is Sherry’s niece, Amelia, a wide-eyed young student whose simple life contrasts with Mary Jane’s overwhelming struggle. Burton later returns as a music therapist and has one of the play’s most achingly beautiful moments where she sings to Alex.
Sophie Bloom appears as Brianne, a mother from a Facebook group who has a child in a similar situation to Alex – and as Chaya, a Jewish mother in the hospital whose child shares a room with Alex. Bloom’s two characters play crucial roles in expanding Mary Jane’s story and personality, but are also intriguing women in themselves, and Bloom is an excellent exponent for them.
Read: Theatre review: The Anarchy (1138-53), KXT on Broadway
Special mention goes to Soham Apte’s brilliant set design that allows smooth transition from an apartment to a hospital ward/waiting room.
This is tough subject matter but Herzog’s script makes it more than just palatable, it makes it a must-see theatrical experience.
Mary Jane by Amy Herzog
Old Fitz Theatre
By Mi Todo Productions
Director: Rachel Chant
Stage Manager: Matilda Holton
Set Designer: Soham Apte
Co-Lighting Designers: Izzy Morrissey and Luna Ng
Sound Designer: Clare Hennessy
Costume Designer: Rita Naidu
Cast: Di Adams, Eloise Snape, Sophie Bloom, Isabel Burton, Janine Watson
Mary Jane will be performed until 15 June 2025.
