‘Head’ Held High : Joining of Sharp Humor and Fine Portrayals Elevates Cancer Drama

Catherine Butterfield’s “Joined at the Head” is an odd play. There isn’t much new in its take on advancing death by cancer. Indeed, it has the aura of a movie of the week. Even the writing style is more filmic than theatrical, with small scenes in many locales.

The bonding of two female protagonists--a man’s doomed wife and his old high school sweetheart, now a famous writer--is not unusual. Nor is the position of the man, as a sort of pawn between them.

But two things set the play apart: the immense humor with which Butterfield has imbued the characters and dialogue of both women, and her neat trick of having the dying wife, Maggy (Alicia Wollerton), step out of the action halfway through to argue with the writer--Maggie (Jodi Carlisle)--about the form, honesty and purpose of the story.

Although Maggy was a class behind her husband and Maggie in high school and traveled in a different crowd, Butterfield’s juxtaposition of their personalities and memories, and their emotional ties to husband Jim (Rick Perloff) form the core of a touching relationship that raises “Joined at the Head” above what it seems at first. In fact, the fatal illness could be deleted and this relationship still would make a worthy play.

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None of it would work without two actresses capable of breathing candid, direct emotional fire into Butterfield’s lines, finding every scrap of humor within every phrase and defining their characters’ personalities in detail and depth. Carlisle and Wollerton do all of this with grace, empathy and much insight.

Perloff is very good as Jim, but Butterfield hasn’t given him as many choice bits as the actresses have. His monologue, about his feelings toward his wife and her illness, rings sightly hollow, as though it were a bone thrown to keep the actor happy.

The tight, wise and effervescent direction of Jessica Kubzansky also helps this production sparkle. Her fluid staging and pulsing cadences, particularly in the scenes between the women, are entertaining. She also handles the snippets of action by a fine ensemble--playing people on the street, in restaurants, etc.--with ease and style.

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“Joined at the Head,” the Moulton Theatre, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 and 7 p.m. Ends March 30. $16-$30. (714) 497-2787. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes.

Jodi Carlisle: Maggie Mulroney

Alicia Wollerton: Maggy Burroughs

Rich Perloff: Jim Burroughs

A Laguna Playhouse production of a play by Catherine Butterfield, directed by Jessica Kubzansky. Scenic design: Lisa Hashimoto. Lighting design: Paulie Jenkins. Costume design: Donn May. Sound design: David Edwards. Original music: Maury R. McIntyre. Stage manager: W. Brian Hugo.