The Comeuppance
Wilma Theater
265 S Broad St.
Philadelphia
Nov. 24, 2024
Postered in the lobby of Wilma Theater, where I had just seen a pressure-cooker play called The Comeuppance, was a QR code to a Buzzfeed-style quiz to find out what your retroactive high school superlative should have been. “I was voted most egotistical. Do you think that was a compliment or a curse?” an older gentleman asked aloud. Another audience member was on the phone, tearfully asking the person on the other end what they should do next. Though the crowd who came out was varied, we all seemed to be tenderized by this high-intensity, big emotions show.
The Comeuppance, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, examines the inner workings of a high school friend group as they wait for their ride to their 20 year reunion. Like the play’s cast of characters, many of us will be making journeys home this week for the holiday. I hear that the day before Thanksgiving, ripe with turmoil, is always the busiest day for local bars. If you're dreading figuring out a dish to bring along to feast, The Comeuppance has a recipe for simple slice of heartwarming, real life. Here are three easy steps to cook up some drama without going crazy:
- Buckle up and let it stew. The play's run time is 2 hours and 20 minutes, and there is no intermission. The audience and cast are all stuck with one another through that duration. All but one scene of the play occurs in anticipation of a ride to a new location. While waiting for their ride, the five friends — with decades of evolving insecurities between them — know exactly how to push each other’s buttons. The play does not shy away from conflict, so maybe you shouldn’t either.
- After boiling, bring it to a simmer. The characters often take their button pushing too far; to deal, they have an inside joke of pretend to slaughter any friend who's threatening to "kill the vibe" by getting too serious or whiney. They also queue up high school hits and break into forced dance parties when in need of a distraction. However, none of these were particularly effective in the context of the play at relieving pressure — in the end, these tactics only increased the air of annoyance spreading through the auditorium. So I would simply recommend removing yourself from the group and taking a walk if (when) you really need to reset.
- Finally, you’ll want to be sure that the spirit of death is present, because no table is complete without the after life looming! Death spoke to the audience through the characters intermittently, breaking the fourth wall to deliver context around the protagonists' broader lives. One character recently lost her grandmother, another had endured multiple miscarriages, a third was a soldier with PTSD, and another was a doctor recovering from the impact of the COVID pandemic. Death shaped all of their lives and ultimately connected them in new ways they couldn’t have imagined when they were 17 — and gave us, the audience, some context to help deal with their obnoxious attitudes. If you're feeling agitated, look at the dead turkey on your table and remember: Death unites us all.
As the holidays approach, I hope you find a way to use this recipe. I hope you are surprised by new connections in familiar faces.
The Comeuppance is playing at Wilma Theater through Dec. 8.
