Ah, Wilderness!

Largely considered to be one of Eugene O’Neil’s lesser works, Ah, Wilderness! is nonetheless fascinating. From its outdoor theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin, the American Players Theatre offers an idyllic production of O’Neil’s pseudo-biographical comedy. The story follows a day in the life of a wealthy family in Connecticut on the Fourth of July, 1906.

It’s strange to see O’Neil’s only comedy for a host of reasons: considering O’Neil’s intense dramas like Strange Interlude and The Iceman Cometh, it’s unusual to hear him go about the business of setting up punch lines. Also, since it’s pseudo-autobiographical, Ah, Wilderness! is oddly similar to his pseudo-autobiographical drama A Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Whereas Ah, Wilderness! presents a sanitized, overly romanticized vision of O’Neil’s family life, Long Day’s Journey is arguably one of O’Neil’s darkest dramas. And there’s an unshakeable tension in the comedy that feels a lot like hanging out with a passive-aggressive family during a holiday. O’Neil seems obsessed with showing the world a vision of his childhood in a happy, presentable format. There’s a pervasive sense that O’Neil (and by extension the whole cast) is afraid that something less than pleasant may surface to mar the cheerful cosmetic happiness of it all.

But bizarre tensions aside, APT’s production of Wilderness is remarkably well put together. Stage veteran Henry Woronicz plays family patriarch Nat Miller, owner of the Evening Globe newspaper, who has raised several children with his wife Essie (the ever-appealing Tracy Michelle Arnold). At the center of the play is a precocious Miller by the name of Richard. Presumably the Eugene O’Neil analogue in this play, Richard (Steve Haggard) is a strong-willed intellectual who is taken with Muriel McComber (Kelsey Brennan). Their strong but young love is tested when Richard’s notes to Muriel are discovered by her parents, who have forbid her to see him. Distraught, Richard goes to a disreputable bar with his friend Wint (Kevin Pitman), and as anyone could probably guess, shenanigans ensue. This is O’Neil, though, and not a more established comic playwright like Neil Simon, so the shenanigans in question have a dark edge that never really manages to be that funny. If anything, it’s all quite uncomfortable. Thankfully, it is all entertainingly uncomfortable. Stellar performances by the entire cast ensure that the play is at its best, despite a less-than-impressive script. Tiffany Scott is particularly memorable as Richard’s little sister Mildred, and Sara Day puts in a captivating performance as Nat’s unmarried sister Lily. The biggest standout performance in a supporting role here has got to be Ken Albers as Essie’s perpetually drunk brother Sid. Albers has a charisma that only comes from a long life on the stage. It’s a pleasure to see him in a role where he is able to capitalize on that charisma. While the sappy, wistuful ending leaves all kinds of things to be desired, it is nonetheless a satisfying evening of theater, all things considered.

The American Players Theatre’s production of Ah, Wilderness! runs through October 4 in Spring Green. For more information call 608-588-2361 or visit the APT online.