Vigil

by Morris Panych

Since Morris Panych’s classic black comedy, Vigil, premiered in 1996, it has been produced throughout North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, including a 2009 Off-Broadway production, which opened to rave reviews, a run as Auntie & Me in London and, most recently, shows at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where Panych directed Academy Award–winner Olympia Dukakis opposite Marco Barricelli in the lead role. This updated edition incorporates changes to scenes and dialogue that have been part of the play’s evolution over the past fifteen years, as well as a new playwright’s note. Vigil is about a man returning—after thirty years—to sit with a female relative on her deathbed. Kemp, the protagonist, is an extremely self-centred and shallow person who uses acid wit and seemingly callous indifference to cover up the profound discomfort he experiences upon finding himself part of a death watch. Kemp’s problem she’s not dying fast enough. Through Kemp’s own errors and inattentiveness, the visit that he thinks will take a day or two stretches into a year, and he finds himself caring for his long-forgotten aunt Grace against his will. Gallows humour and Kemp’s diatribes on humanity and mortality fuel this delightfully dark narrative, but it is Grace’s economical contributions to the dialogue (she’s a woman of few words) that give this play its weight and profundity. A play of mistaken identity, twisted circumstance and surprising turns, it is deliciously absurd, incredibly funny and poignantly tender. This is one Vigil worth keeping. Cast of 1 woman and 1 man.

Genres: Plays

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5, rounded up.

I'm systematically reading or re-reading all of Panych's catalog that I can get my hands on, and this was his first play that I read, over a decade ago - after the privilege of seeing the late, great Olympia Dukakis play Grace in SF's ACT production. The play is very funny in a mordant, sometimes morbid vein, and the late surprise twist is extremely satisfying.

[Caroline]

One of the best plays I have read!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully dark and surprisingly poignant. I'd love to do this show sometime

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characterization with a wonderful twist. Hope to see it on our stage.

[Courtney Aguilar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange man... so lonely

[Nancy Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying it very much but the ending left me very unsatisfied. Perhaps that was the author’s intention. Perhaps translate better to the stage.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent two-hander black comedy about family, identity and death.

[Kira]

Man verbosely waits for Aunt to die. Somehow I didn’t see the twist coming and it tickled me.

[Woman Reading (is away exploring) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I saw this performed as a play with only 2 performers, one of whom stayed nearly completely mute.
This is a hilarious, cathartic story of black gallows humor for long-term care givers. The book wasn't as sharp as the play but it was good enough.