MISERY LOVES COMPANY…
AND A GOOD PLOT

Karen MacDonald and Tom Coiner do a wonderful job of animating William Goldman’s stage adaptation of Stephen King’s intriguing, twisty novel by the same title. Best-selling novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued by Annie Wilkes, his self-described number 1 fan, following a car accident during a Colorado blizzard. In the wake of the storm, roads are closed and phone lines are down, so Wilkes, a nurse, takes Sheldon back to her farmhouse to recuperate. At first, the situation seems ideal: Sheldon receives excellent physical care for his injuries along with unending praise for his writing.

But the mood shifts after Sheldon agrees to let Wilkes read the manuscript for the book he’s just finished writing. Sheldon’s latest book is not a continuation of his romance series, that Wilkes loves. Instead of featuring the 19th-century character Misery Chastain, the newest book is an autobiographical work set in 1987. It’s filled with profanity and language Wilkes finds offensive. Outraged, she demands that Sheldon destroy the manuscript.

With numerous broken bones, Sheldon is dependent on Wilkes for pain meds and so much more. With great reluctance, he finally agrees to burn the only copy of his manuscript.

The relationship between patient and nurse, author and fan, deteriorates even further when the final volume of his series, based on a character named Misery Chastain, appears in a local shop. Wilkes buys and reads the book and is outraged by the fate of Misery, a character with whom she strongly identifies. Enraged, she forces Sheldon to write a new book, one that will give Misery the outcome Wilkes wants.

The story depicts not only the problematic relationships wildly (or even moderately) successful authors may have with their fans—as well as the complicated struggles authors may face with self-doubt and their “inner critics.” As Sheldon struggles to satisfy Wilkes’s demands, he also plots to free himself from her control—a difficult task, given his multiple injuries and the remote location.

MacDonald and Coiner’s excellent performances are further enhanced by the smart direction by Courtney Sale, superb lighting by Brian J Lilienthal and sound by David Remedios.

photos by Meg Moore

Misery
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
50 E. Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA
90 minutes, no intermission
ends on November 2, 2025
for tickets ($16-$67) visit MRT

for more shows, visit Theatre in Boston