Written & performed by Jay Eddy; Directed by Sam Plattus; Scenic Designer: Danielle DelaFuente; Lighting Designer: Kevin Fulton; Sound Designer: Gage Baker; Costume Designer: Eric Tran; Projection Designer: Maria Servellon. Presented at Boston Playwrights’ Theater through April 6, 2024
By Mike Hoban
In the pulsating opening number of the enthralling semi-solo autobiographical musical Driving in Circles, writer and performer Jay Eddy describes “what to do in an earthquake,” singing, “Stay down, stay down, stay down (because) it’s the aftershock that kills you.” It’s a brilliant metaphor for what survivors of sexual abuse experience long after the physical abuse has ceased, as Eddy details in their powerful but surprisingly funny and touching work. Part monologue, part performance art, part standup comedy, and powered by an astonishingly cool “folktronica” score that likely rivals any album you’ll hear from the current crop of indie artists, it’s a unique theatrical experience.
Through extended monologues and song, Driving recounts their story about surviving sexual violence they experienced from the age of 10 to 19 and living with the trauma, leaving out the intimate details “because it’s none of your business.” Instead, they provide us with a chilling portrait of the abuse through lyrics like, “Bad girls get mad, and they put up a fight, but good girls stay quiet, and they stay alive.”
Eddy gives us an often (darkly) humorous timeline of their life from a toddler to the present but focuses more on the aftermath of the assaults, starting when they tell their closest friend what happened. They respond, “Every girl I know has a story like this. Every single one.” As they grows older, the psychological toll from the trauma begins to manifest itself in the form of “Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures” brought on by PTSD and, later, panic attacks and suicidal ideation, and it affects their ability to have intimate relationships.
If all of this sounds like a depressing evening out, it’s anything but, considering the subject matter. It’s an ultimately joyful piece because it’s a story of survival, not defeat, as they learn to lean into relationships to heal instead of disassociating. By the end, Eddy encourages the audience to work for a better future by cultivating deeper human connections, cautioning that “Rugged individualism is for the birds. And it’s a fantasy, a lie we need to stop repeating.” There’s also an element of education in the piece – though not the well-intentioned but overly didactic variety that emerged from the pandemic. Instead, Eddy uses the platform to remind victims of abuse that it’s not their fault and that there is a way out of the living nightmare.
Eddy is a 2023 graduate of Boston University’s M.F.A. in Playwriting program, and Driving in Circles won the Richard Rodgers Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as the Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award and Musical Theatre Award, both from the Kennedy Center. The production could probably use a little trimming in spots (it clocked in at a little under two hours on opening night), as some of the longer, less dramatic background monologues lose steam despite Eddy’s rat-a-tat delivery. They have the effusive energy of a college student celebrating the completion of her last final by snorting her remaining “studying” Adderall stash, bounding from one side of the stage and up the aisles, and interacting frequently with the audience. It can feel a little exhausting at times and makes some of their terrific writing (and jokes) a little challenging to absorb fully.
What makes this production so special is Eddy. A gifted songwriter, storyteller, and performer, they also get a massive boost from the terrific band, Jordan Palmer (keyboard and backing vocals) and Zach Fontanez (guitar and backing vocals). Eddy is an assured performer, alternately enraged, playful, and reflective, and their songwriting, orchestrations, and emotive voice make for as enjoyable a night of musical theater as you’re likely to experience this or any other year. If you don’t get a chance to see the show, let’s hope that they releases the soundtrack as a concept album – it’s that good, especially if you’re a fan of alternative music.
One of the most overlooked casualties of COVID-19 for theatergoers was the shutting down of many of the fringe theater companies (although they’re starting to come back slowly). Fringe consistently brought us some of the most engaging and creative works, and when the companies went away, we were left with more standard fare, which meant a lot of mediocrity mixed in with the gems at the larger theaters. Driving in Circles restores faith that new works and voices can provide equal or better theater – with a ticket price that’s a hell of a lot more accessible for more people. This is must-see theater (a term I never use lightly) for those with a taste for something different, and I may see it again myself. It’s that good. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.bu.edu/bpt/performances/driving-in-circles/
