Journeyman playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's most recent effort in Boston was his updated version of Geo. S. Kaufman's "The Fabulous Invalid" in Nov. 2003 for the reopening of the Emerson Majestic. His much smaller cast thriller, "Scotland Road", had a run at the New Rep in 1998, just after this popular play finally got on in NYC. The production now running in the Hovey Players intimate space in Waltham has a strong ensemble cast, crisp direction by Lissi Engvall and a first-rate set by Hovey technical director, John MacKenzie, who also provides a multislide prologue, careful lighting, and a compelling soundscape. Once again this community theatre operation has demonstrated its ability to conjure up first theatre in its basement abode.
"Scotland Road" revolves around a mysterious young woman reported to have been found floating on an iceberg dressed in early 20th century clothing. The only word she's uttered since is "Titanic." A man claiming to be a descendant of John Jacob Astor, the financier who went down with that ship, has brought her to an out-of-the-way private facility in Maine. To do so, he's had to hire the American psychologist who'd been in charge of this castaway in Iceland where the woman was first taken. Leigh Berry plays this pivotal role with gravity, as the product of a more deliberate age. Wayne Vargas, who directed "The Taming of the Shrew" at the Hovey earlier this fall, plays the putative Astor, intent on discovering her secret. The suggestion that he'd stop at nothing money can buy to do so is very contemporary. Rachel Kline's Dr. Halbrech who's strong on committment to her patient, but a bit at sea in these circumstances is the hardest part to pin down, a modern professional woman. Finally, veteran community theatre actress Phyllis Weaver makes the most of her short scene as Frances Kittle, a secretive elderly Maine resident who may be the last known survivor of the sinking.
Part of this short two-act play's denoument is an explication of its title, which has interesting suggestions of the better-known movie. "Scotland Road" was in fact written first, before the musical as well. The action progress through a series of short elliptical scenes which end quickly, without much explanation. Minneapolis-based Hatcher's theatrical sources are the dark character dramas of Durenmatt and Ionesco, which fed off the existential uncertainly of post-WWII Europe. Such angst seems to be making a comeback in the American theatre, perhaps due to our equally uncertain times.
Stage mysteries have always thrived in the regional stage. Those few that make it to Broadway are seldom revived there, but become staples of community theatre. Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap", of course, has run seemingly forever in London, but has little competition there from drama of the same genre. Returning to such a content driven play, despite knowing "what happens" provides the additional pleasure of spotting clues as the action progresses. "Scotland Road" is liable to keep coming back to the boards because the secrets of its storyline are so elusive. Just what the action might be a metaphor for is quite intriguing.