The Fourth Walsh

Reviewed by Tom Lawler

Set the scene:  FOOL FOR LOVE, by the late, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard, is typically considered one of the greatest of the nearly 60 he penned over a 50-year writing, directing and acting career. Adjacent to his celebrated “family trilogy” (which includes BURIED CHILD and TRUE WEST) and exploring similar themes of dysfunctional families and the American West, FOOL FOR LOVE made its debut in 1983. In its show program, Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis describe the play as a textbook example of Steppenwolf’s brand of visceral, often relentless style of acting that “demands everything from its performers.” Indeed, this cowboy playwright is integral to the very origins of Chicago’s most celebrated theater company. Steppenwolf’s 1982 production of Shepard’s TRUE WEST (starring Gary Sinise, John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf) created enough buzz to attract a staging in New York where it launched this fledging company onto the national scene for the first time.   

What’s it all about: We open on May (Caroline Neff) and Eddie in a seedy Southwest motel room. Eddie (a mischievous Nick Gehlfuss) asks May if he should leave and after a long pause, she screams out “No!” – the first of many laughs in this tight, but often lyrical play. We quickly gather that this couple has a rocky history and despite Eddie recently driving nearly 3,000 miles to win back his old flame and take her back to his ranch, she’s clearly not interested in repeating the pattern. Or maybe she is. Or then again, maybe not. It’s complicated! But it’s never boring.  And I haven’t even told you yet about the “Old Man” narrating some of the action off the side of the stage (Tim Hopper, seemingly channeling the grizzled lifeforce of Sam Shepard himself) who may or may not be related to one or both of the pair. The play is over in just about an hour and leaves you dazed and disturbed. You also might spend at least as much time afterwards trying to puzzle out everything you just saw and what it meant.

Stand-out performance: In an ascending Chicago career that began in the aughts on smaller stages such as Steep Theater (where she remains a company member) and Victory Gardens (RIP), Caroline Neff has reliably been a highlight of the many plays I’ve seen her in over the years. Whatever the role, you always believe her. As a Steppenwolf ensemble member now and in her biggest role in the mainstage theater to date, Neff rises to the occasion. Her work feels as true and vulnerable as ever, but with a power I haven’t seen before. Under the direction of Jeremy Herrin, Neff’s stunning, forceful performance sets the tempo for the entire cast.

Also, check out: Cliff Chamberlain is just flat-out funny as Martin, a dunderheaded gentleman caller of May’s who arrives to take her out to the movies. While May primps for her date in the bathroom, Chamberlain’s Martin is an ideal audience surrogate for Eddie to unwind an evocative tale about how he and May originally met as teenagers – a massive monologue for Gehlfuss that’s interrupted a couple of times – most memorably by Neff’s May stepping out of the glowing bathroom in a red dress just as Eddie describes the magical moment he first laid eyes on her.

More of this, please: We got to theater for that special feeling that this is happening right now. That anything can happen. I already told you that Nick Gehlfuss’ Eddie was playful – but he’s also quite talented with the lariat. Showing off his ropin’ skills, Gehlfuss snares a few bedposts and even a chair in between some of his lines. It’s impressive – but the highlight for me was his sheepish grin when he whiffed on one of his roping attempts. With Neff’s back to him, it became a private joke between Gehlfuss and the audience – and I was hoping he’d miss again. He unfortunately didn’t. But FOOL FOR LOVE was a helluva good time out at the ol’ Steppenwolf anyhow.   

Running Time: 65 minutes with no intermission.

Steppenwolf Theater Company, 1650 N. Halsted

Playwright: Sam Shepard

Director: Jeremy Herrin

Scenic Design: Todd Rosenthal

Photos by: Michael Brosilow

Performance schedule:

Tues-Fri, 7:30 p.m.

Sat, 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sun, 3:00 p.m.

Thru March 23

Tickets: $56-138 (Note: You’ll find cheaper tickets for weeknight performances.)

Buy tickets at Steppenwolf.org or call 312-335-1650.

For more Chicago theatre information and reviews, please visit Theatre in Chicago