A CLAUSTROPHOBIC MISERY AT CITADEL

Citadel Theatre’s production of Misery by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King, is a respectable staging that scratches the itch for a spooky night out this fall, even if it doesn’t fully deliver the chest-tingling suspense of King’s original.

As a frequent reader of King’s thrillers, I considers Misery one of his best. While the true terror and tension of the novel isn’t replicated on stage, director Scott Westerman’s iteration is faithful and engaging.

Scott Phelps as Paul Sheldon, Ellen Phelps as Annie Wilkes

The plot is familiar: Paul Sheldon (Scott Phelps), a successful romance novelist, survives a devastating car accident in a Colorado blizzard, only to be “rescued” by Annie Wilkes (Ellen Phelps), a former nurse and self-proclaimed “number one fan.” What begins as convalescence in an isolated farmhouse twists into something darker as Annie’s devotion to Misery, the eponymous character of Paul’s series, curdles into obsession. Goldman’s stage adaptation strips the novel into basically a two-hander, a tense character study exploring artistic integrity, fan fixation, and the perilous edge where creativity meets control.

It’s a tall order for two actors to sustain King’s brand of claustrophobic suspense onstage. Citadel co-founders Ellen and Scott Phelps rise to the challenge with strong performances. Ms. Phelps brings Annie’s unsettling unpredictability to life, though her take sometimes leans more humorous than chilling and terrifying. Mr. Phelps conveys Paul’s frustration, fury, and agony convincingly, though the stakes never crest into full-blown terror.

Scott Phelps and Ellen Phelps

The setting helps. Citadel’s black box, tucked inside the Lake Forest Schools Administration Building, seats about 70 — an intimate house that amplifies tension. Bob Knuth’s farmhouse set serves the story’s claustrophobic needs with crisp, realistic detail, filling the space without overwhelming it.

A clever touch is the use of video technology: Through a TV set in the living room, the audience glimpses Paul moving through other parts of the house. While the security-style footage feels slightly inorganic, it smartly expands the play’s small footprint and delivers crucial visual information, heightening the unease.

Citadel Theatre’s Misery may not chill to the bone (you’ll have to watch the nightly news for that), but it succeeds as a solid, intimate piece of theatre. For audiences craving an engaging drama with a touch of the macabre, this Misery proves satisfying.

Jonathan Cortez as Buster, Ellen Phelps as Annie Wilkes

photos by North Shore Camera Club

Misery
Citadel Theatre
West Campus building of Lake Forest School District, 300 S. Waukegan Road in Lake Forest
Thurs-Sat at 7:30; Sun at 3; Wed at 1 (Sept 27, Oct 1); dark Oct 3
for tickets ($45), call 847.735.8554 ext. 1 or visit Citadel Theatre

for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago