Arts, On Campus

‘Rabbit Hole’ Shows The Many Ways To Process Grief

This weekend, Rabbit Hole debuted at Robsham Theater. The play, written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by William Bollbach, MCAS ’27, was a visceral display of grief and its innate complexities. 

The play tells the story of a couple who lost their son, Danny, when he was hit by a car at four years old. Tensions were high throughout the performance, as the five-member cast exemplified the various ways in which people process tragedy. 

The stage was surrounded by the audience on all sides, giving viewers a wholeheartedly unique experience based on where they chose to sit. The environment was intimate, and the colloquial nature of the dialogue brought the audience even closer to the unfolding narrative. 

Each character reacted differently to the situation. Danny’s father Howie, played by Joe Gilhooly, LSEHD ’27, looks to hold on to objects from the past, while Howie’s wife Becca, played by Margaret Rankin, LSEHD ’25, subconsciously looks to erase anything which could remind her of her son’s death. 

Characters like Becca have multiple emotional outbursts referenced in the play, including a bar fight and a grocery store assault. These acts were always criticized by friends and family as they refused to let trauma excuse irrational and harmful action.

As the play progresses and time passes, the nature of Danny’s parents’ grief transforms as well, suggesting that time is the only true healer. 

As characters try to help each other, their good-willed attempts often backfire and cause further tension, highlighting the notion that no two people process grief in exactly the same way. The rifts created were often the result of miscommunication, indicating how difficult it is for people to talk about such profound sadness.

“You’re not in a better place, you’re just in a different place,” Becca said, encapsulating this idea in a passionate argument with her husband. 

The conversational nature of the play gave the performance a very realistic and natural feel. Intricacies such as characters folding laundry, or packing up toys while speaking, added to the authenticity. Believability is necessary within a dialogue on human feeling, and the cast presented themselves in a way which felt truthful and honest. 

“It was a tough watch emotionally,” said Javier Gushue, MCAS ’25.

The play saw a standout performance from Gilhooly as Howie. His powerful cadence was particularly impressive, as he displayed a range of emotion from untethered rage to heart-wrenching sadness and everything in between. 

As he watched a VHS tape of his dead son, Gilhooly conveyed Howie’s host of feelings without a single line of dialogue, which is no small feat. As he mouthed along to the words of the tape, the entire scene gained a level of depth.

“I thought that he was fantastic throughout the entire show,” Gushue said in regards to Gilhooly’s performance.

The ending was greeted with a standing ovation and a relieved exhalation from the audience after an emotional two hours. The genuinely harrowing performance did end on a warm note, leaving the audience with a sense of hope. 

When Becca asks Howie if they will truly figure it out, he responds comfortingly, “I think we will.”

November 3, 2024

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