“Dear Elizabeth”, Wunderdog Theatre’s most recent project, explores the thirty year relationship between American poets Sarah Bishop and Robert Lowell. From 1947-1977, the literary duo shared the ups and downs – divorces, the death of a partner, the birth of a child – with one another. The eighty-minute play is not in playwright Sarah Ruhl’s own words but rather in the words of Bishop and Lowell. In “Dear Elizabeth”, Ruhl is a curator.
The play presents a unique challenge: told entirely in letters, it frequently strays into the mundane; after all, the poets’ words were not intended for the outside world but for each other. Director Shelby Bushell’s decision to have the actors interact with one another while reading aloud their written correspondence adds texture to the piece. Interestingly, the scenes depicting Bishop and Lowell’s few in-person interactions are almost entirely in silence. Ruhl is adamant that Bishop and Lowell tell their stories through their own words.
One of the highlights of this gorgeously-executed epistolary production was Sandy Margaret’s deceptively simple design work. At one point in the play, Ms. Bishop, who suffers from asthma, pulls out a replica 1940s inhaler. At other moments, the actors interact with a period wrought iron bird cage and a gorgeous teal typewriter, complete with matching case. Margaret’s attention to detail is remarkable; one of the joys of watching this piece was trying to catch the tiny, historically-accurate details Margaret weaves into her work.
Wunderdog Theatre has succeeded in transporting this mid-twentieth century story to 2018. Rather than detracting from the show, technical elements highlight the relatability of Bishop and Lowell’s struggle. When Lowell betrays his wife for the sake of his latest poetry collection, Bishop chides Lowell, saying “Art just isn’t worth that much.” Though their last letter was exchanged over forty years ago, the question “What is art worth?” is just as relevant today as it was in 1977.
“Dear Elizabeth”, written by Sarah Ruhl, produced by Wunderdog Theatre, performs at the Vancity Culture Lab until September 15.
– Elana Mabrito