‘The Other Place’ debuts at The Bingen Theater

BINGEN — After Big Britches Productions (BBP) co-owners April and Joe Garoutte saw Sharr White’s “The Other Place” at the Portland Playhouse, they drove home in silence, processing the show’s crushing subject matter.  

Years later, eager to deviate from their usual, light-hearted output and expose Gorge audiences to the engrossing drama, which studies the profound toll of dementia, the Garouttes are taking their own stab at it. BBP’s “The Other Place” debuted at The Bingen Theater on May 1 and will run for three weekends.

“We kept feeling like now was the right time to share this… bringing words to something that sometimes feels too deep to say out loud,” April Garoutte said. “There are many people in this community who have walked the path of dementia, or know somebody who’s dealing with it. Sitting in a room with people and watching it happen allows them to feel like they’re not alone.”

“It’s a matter of trying,” Joe Garoutte added. “We wanted to test the audience to see if people can hang with us for a drama… we wanted to do it with a script we really believed in.”

Elevated by its dense dialogue, fractured structure, and Shelly Peterson’s dynamic lead performance, BBP’s “The Other Place” is a harrowing, deeply empathetic take on neurodegenerative conditions — a dark psychological mystery, turned tear-jerking character study that will linger with you for days.

Peterson, director of BBP’s March show “Four Old Broads,” plays brilliant neurologist Juliana Smithton, whose life is unraveling beneath her feet. While giving a speech at a convention, Juliana experiences a medical episode and suspects a brain tumor. But in disjointed scenes, stitched together with dream logic — arguments with her husband, phone calls with her estranged daughter, and chats with her doctor — her perception of past and present, truth and delusion, blurs and warps. All the while, curious memories of a Cape Cod cottage, “The Other Place,” begin to seep through the cracks.

The play’s nonlinear progression, routinely colliding scenes and conversations together without pause, is initially challenging and disorienting. As in Juliana’s frequent introspective monologues, the viewer attempts to assemble her puzzle, composed of jagged pieces that don’t quite fit together. It makes for an incredibly rewarding journey, offering a lens into the protagonist’s struggle that renders the third act all the more heartwrenching.

One monologue and intense conversation after another, Peterson graciously portrays a woman desperately clawing for clarity or a moment of calm. From manic confusion and anger to playfulness and grief, she effortlessly fluctuates between headspaces, commanding your attention for each of the show’s 80 minutes. Her occasional comedic moments offer much-needed levity in an otherwise unforgiving ride.

“The arguments get really loud,” Joe Garoutte said. “The laughter we ended up with was wonderful; there are moments where the audience needs a break.”

Todd Dierker is explosive as Juliana’s husband, Ian, a man drained and overwhelmed by devastating events from his past, struggling to reason with the tragedies that have befallen his wife. His performance thoughtfully examines the impact of dementia on loved ones.

It’s difficult to talk about Samantha Trelstad’s performance as “A Woman” without giving too much away. Her comforting energy is especially impactful in the play’s final act.

At last, the minimalist set design, with dark walls as backdrops, allows the performances and subject matter to dominate the stage. The lights almost perpetually cast the characters’ shadows in multiple directions behind them, busying the space with motion.

While the Garouttes anticipate audiences leaving the theater with lots to ponder in silence, they hope the show will spur healthy conversations. “That need to talk to somebody, and knowing that others are willing to talk, is important,” Joe Garoutte said.

After its Sunday matinees, BBP will host post-performance Q&A sessions featuring professionals working in the field of dementia in different ways. “The Other Place” will close on May 16. For tickets, visit bigbritches.org.