The Purple Lights of Joppa, Illinois
written and directed by Adam Rapp
Atlantic Theatre Company
June 22, 2016
Production website

💉💉💉 out of 5

This is one brutal little play. From the beginning of the play that finds a man meticulously picking up unseen specks from a carpet to the end in which that same man stares at his torchiere light – afraid that it will move. The premise is rather simple. A man has just been released from a psychiatric correctional institute to return home and plan for a special meeting. Soon the door rings and two teenage girls enter – – danger, danger – we know something bad is going to happen.This show has breathtaking detail. As an audience member I felt trapped in this living room with only one exit and that was blocked. This show has CLEARLY done its homework. The ravages and challenges of mental illness are spelled out in every grimace, tension, and fluttering of eyes. Damage is everywhere.

In one of the more exciting moments of the show – upon the entrance of the two teenage girls, the entire story line stops as the protagonist puts a record on the record player and we listen to an entire obscure country song in its entirety – with no dialogue and no movement. This would be the death of many, many shows. But here it is a highlight. The damage, pain and yearning just bake under this bad music.

As with all Adam Rap shows there are emotional explosions, weapons, and blood – a bit less then in previous prouductions but still as uncomfortably.

After the show I read the elevator down to the lobby with one of the actresses and she was mentioning to her friend that being in this play felt a bit like throwing boomerangs and ducking. I agree. This tiny neurotic plays throws a boomerang at the play’s opening and everyone, audience included, ducks their head in fear for the next ninety minutes. Then the boomerang heads back and . . .