JUDGING THE BOOK OF GRACE
BY ITS (VERY IMPRESSIVE) COVER
The Chicago Premiere of The Book of Grace at Steppenwolf Theatre is an expertly executed production of an underwhelming family drama. I’m a long-time fan of Steppenwolf, and every aspect of this production demonstrated the artistic excellence that I’ve come to expect, but the play itself lacked forward motion—disappointing from a writer as strong as Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog), whose 2010 play was revised for this outing.
Grace looks for the good in everything, including her controlling Border Patrol agent husband, Vet, and his troubled estranged son, Buddy. Even though Grace is the title character, Buddy seems to take on the role of protagonist. He arrives at Grace and Vet’s home to attend his father’s upcoming award ceremony, but he hasn’t been totally honest with his father. He’s also looking for a job and getting mysterious packages in the mail. Grace and Buddy bond quickly, but as the day of the ceremony gets closer the tension between Buddy and his father comes to a boil, and Grace is struggling to keep the lid on the pot. Grace serves as Buddy’s moral compass, fostering his change throughout the play.
Zainab Jah is heartwarming as Grace, bringing a lightness to the role that inspires hope. Brian Marable is a formidable Vet, successfully communicating Vet’s deep insecurity bricked over by a hard exterior. Namir Smallwood has proved to be an expert at roles like Buddy, a socially awkward anxious man with unexpressed feelings threatening to bubble to the surface. Smallwood’s character Kenneth in the stunning Primary Trust at The Goodman last year shared similar traits. I look forward to seeing what Smallwood does next.
For a family drama with so many diametrically opposed characters, it’s surprising that this play lacks a strong central conflict. There’s very little driving us toward a climax. Perhaps structurally strangest of all is the placement of the intermission. After Grace reads a long excerpt from “The Book of Grace” she declares that that’s all she’s written, and the lights come up. For a moment I thought it was the end of a very short, anticlimactic play, but we were only halfway through what turned out to be an anticlimactic play anyway. Not to say that nothing happens because there are plenty of major events, but somehow none of them pack a punch. The tedium of the first half led me to expect some kind of major plot twist in Act II, and while there are surprises, none of them deliver a payoff.
But while I waited for something interesting to happen at the in-the-round Ensemble Theater, I got to enjoy Arnel Sancianco’s beautiful scenic design, Raquel Adorno’s meaningful costuming, especially Vet’s perfectly pressed dress uniform, and Rasean Davanté Johnson’s projection design including a very tastefully done livestream. Often, I find technical elements like livestreams from cellphones a bit hokey, but they seamlessly fit in this production to aid in the storytelling.
While there is much to appreciate about Steppenwolf’s production of The Book of Grace directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, the play doesn’t leave much to take away. What is apparently supposed to be a story of hope, of choosing goodness, turns out to be a predictable tale about two men who don’t know how to process their emotions without becoming destructive. I am, however, very much looking forward to Steppenwolf’s production of another Suzan-Lori Park’s play, Topdog/Underdog, in January. Give this one a try but make sure to come back for Topdog/Underdog, a play I know doesn’t have these structural issues.
photos by Michael Brosilow
The Book of Grace
Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St.
2 hours, 35 minutes with intermission
Tues-Fri at 7:30; Sat at 3 & 7:30; Sun at 3; (check for alternate dates)
ends on May 18, 2025
for tickets ($20-$102), call 312.335.1650 or visit Steppenwolf
for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago
