For those lucky enough to have living, loving extended family members, there’s something deeply comforting about knowing there are people, whether near or far, to whom you can turn when things get tough. This sense of relief is palpable in the opening scene of Amy Herzog’s 2011 play, “4000 Miles,” in which a troubled 21-year-old man shows up at his grandmother’s Manhattan apartment in the middle of the night. After popping in her hearing aids and dentures, she insists that he sleep in her guest room — but first he needs to shower away his stink, she bluntly declares.
Amanda Hays and Josh Leeper co-direct a heartwarming production of Herzog’s Pulitzer Prize finalist for A Short Leap Theatre Company, an ensemble now in its second season. Marssie Mencotti gives a fabulous performance as Vera, a nonagenarian who sometimes loses her words and her keys, but never her spicy attitude. Playing her grandson, Leo, Layke Fowler demonstrates range as a character who maintains a capacity for empathy amid his own grief yet also makes choices that hurt his loved ones.
The play’s title refers to the distance Leo has traveled on a cross-country bicycle trip from Seattle, a journey that he started with his best friend, Micah, but finished alone. When he arrives in New York, he’s not only mourning that loss (details of which are revealed gradually) but also on thin ice with his girlfriend, Bec (Erin Minervini), who recently moved to the city for college. Back in his hometown of St. Paul, his immediate family is upset with him, too, as the outdoorsy hipster doesn’t own a cell phone and has remained unreachable during his solo trek.
His grandmother’s home, envisioned as a tidy, cozy space by scenic designer Will Hughes, becomes a haven for Leo as he tries to get back on his feet. Meanwhile, Vera is grieving her own losses; a longtime widow, she’s recently become the last surviving member of the friend group she was closest to throughout her 80s.
A family drama that’s neither explosive nor schmaltzy, Herzog’s play relies on witty dialogue and gently paced character development for its charm. Her script provides many comedic gems for Vera, including one scene where she gets high with Leo and another where she regales Bec with tales of her first husband’s affairs. Mencotti nails the delivery each time.
Leo, in addition to extensive stage time with Vera, shares a couple of scenes with Bec, portrayed by Minervini as a down-to-earth young woman who’s compassionate yet unafraid to be assertive about her own needs. In contrast, Mollie Peery makes a brief but hilarious appearance as Amanda, an unapologetically wealthy, self-described slut who comes home with Leo one night.
Carina Lastimosa’s costume designs enhance all four characters in this show, but they’re especially effective at capturing Amanda’s rich hot-girl vibe, with her lacy pink minidress and platform sandals. Amanda isn’t written as a simple caricature, though; when she spots Communist literature on Vera’s bookshelves, she alludes to her Chinese American family’s painful history.
China is also the birthplace of Lily, Leo’s adopted sister, who appears in a brief voiceover performed by Peery. Leo and Lily have a complicated relationship, including a fairly shocking incident in their recent past. This side plot, while underdeveloped, adds another layer to Leo’s messy situation.
As my first encounter with A Short Leap’s work, “4000 Miles” impressed me with its quality acting and design work. At its current run time, this production would benefit from adding an intermission and/or speeding up some of the longer scene transitions, but these are pretty minor pacing issues.
An apt pick for a theater company that espouses community-oriented values, Herzog’s play celebrates the healing power of human connection without veering into overt sentimentality. Leo can be selfish and rude at times, and Vera has her own flaws, but it’s hard not to hope they’ll both be ok in the end. This show will make you want to hug your grandma, or whoever plays a nurturing role in your life. After all, it’s no small thing to find a warm bed waiting at the end of a long and lonely journey.
Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.
Review: “4000 Miles” (3 stars)
When: Through Oct. 24
Where: The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
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Tickets: $36.75 (pay-what-you-can available at the door) at 773-697-3830 and ashortleaptheatre.com