featured-image

The notion of a Samuel D. Hunter play starting during the COVID-19 pandemic seems natural, since the MacArthur genius grant winner has previously pondered people with proclivities towards social isolation. His most famous character to date, in his play “The Whale,” was a man whose unmanageable obesity served in part to give him reason for never leaving his chair.

Brendan Fraser earned a best actor Oscar for the film version. When we meet the two main characters of Hunter’s newest work “Little Bear Ridge Road” — now receiving its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre — we know they’re not the most, shall we say, people-friendly people. Sarah (the always welcome, unsurprisingly magnificent Steppenwolf ensemble member Laurie Metcalf) has moved a half-hour away from the nearest city — which would be Moscow, Idaho (population about 25,000) — because she says, even fewer people “suits me better.



” Ethan (the less-familiar and shockingly terrific Micah Stock) seems to assume people disapprove of him, perhaps a remnant of growing up gay in religious territory. He’s surprised to hear that Sarah doesn’t have an issue when he mentions his sexuality. Ethan has driven from Seattle to Idaho upon the death of his father, an incorrigible meth addict and Sarah’s brother.

Sarah notices that Ethan seems to have all his belongings in his barely running car. But there’s a sense of hope, if that’s what you can call a glimmer of mutual connection, that this mostly e.

Back to Beauty Page