World premiere of Adam Szymkowicz’s dramedy examines issues of devotion, love, and caretaking.
By Eric Marchese
How do you define devotion? The answer to that seemingly uncomplicated question depends on context, of course, but also on numerous other factors.
Playwright Adam Szymkowicz’s new play, “Such Small Hands” depicts an elderly couple whose relationship and their lives together are now a study in devotion.
That’s because Paul has developed dementia, transforming their lifelong existence into new roles for both Paul and his wife, Marie.
Now, Orange County audiences will be able to see the play’s world premiere, thanks to Chance Theater, which has long supported the new works of multiple playwrights.
The creative partnership between the Anaheim company and the East Coast-based playwright has thrived over the years, beginning with Chance’s 2011 production of “Nerve.”
Szymkowicz was Chance’s resident playwright that year, and the working relationship has only grown from there. It includes stagings or staged readings of “Where You Can’t Follow” (2015), “Rare Birds” (2016), an untitled 2020 play that Chance commissioned, a live-streamed reading of “Hearts Like Planets” (2021), and the reading of “Such Small Hands” in the fall of 2023 that led to this year’s full staging.
What the Play Is About
Director Matt McCray describes Paul and Marie, the play’s two focal characters, as “two loving grandparents who have spent their entire adult lives together.”
McCray said that from the time he wakes up to the moment he goes to sleep, “Paul is in the care of his spouse, fully dependent on her.”
Marie’s new role as Paul’s caretaker brings “laughter, sadness, and sarcasm” and, as one would expect, a tremendous amount of “complexity.” That complexity is what makes “Such Small Hands” “a snapshot of the foibles and, sometimes, pain of aging, which explores the power of love and devotion among spouses in old age.”
As for directing a world premiere, McCray says it’s “such an honor. Last year, I directed a world premiere called ‘Crevasse’ by Tom Jacobson, which is also a two-actor play, and I’m finding some similarities with the process between these two productions.”
The process, he said, “has relied heavily on cast discussion and writer questions. These conversations affirm a direction for the production and, hopefully, forge a path forward. A world premiere process is sometimes more mysterious, so I try to be more open to discoveries along the way.”
The Power of Love
McCray was “very moved by this play when I first read it. Later, upon a re-read, I started to laugh, and the funnier moments emerged for me.” He defines the play as “a unique mix of comedy and drama. It’s a serious subject, but the two characters in the play don't wallow in these subjects because they are living them.”
“Paul and Marie want to find joy and humor wherever they can, so finding a balance between comedy and drama within the production is important. It’s one of the more exciting and challenging aspects of the play.”
The primary themes are “certainly devotion and love. So many young people grow up intending to ‘grow old together’ with someone. Well... that’s what Paul and Marie have done. They’ve spent their entire lives together, and it's touching to see. This play also brings up the question of what ‘good’ caretaking is because it becomes a more complex question when the caretaker is also an older person.”
Zeroing in on the Text
“The relationship of Paul and Marie is articulated very clearly within the dialogue, and so with this play, we needed to keep our focus clearly on the text. That said, some of our rehearsal has also focused on the ways the actors can show age or illness and the ways that Paul and Marie have changed over the years. The text is written in a banter that captures their joyful history and also the inevitable missteps embedded within a long relationship.”
McCray and casting director Shinshin Yuder Tsai have cast Bruce Goodrich as Paul and Juliet Fischer as Marie. The production’s design team members are Ganymede Projects (scenic and costumes), Azra King-Abadi (lighting), and Darryl B. Hovis (sound), with Anna Jennings serving as dramaturg.
“One of our hopes with this production is to present the relationship and characters of Paul and Marie in a naturalistic way while creating their world in a less literal, more representational way. Paul and Marie’s world is breaking down as he ages. So, we have stripped away many of the comforts of home, attempting to put a laser focus on their relationship.”
McCray said Szymkowicz is arriving in Southern California soon “for the final weeks of rehearsal. We’re so excited for him to arrive and participate in the rehearsal room. He lives on the other coast, so his involvement so far has been through phone and Zoom calls, addressing questions remotely.”
What was McCray’s main question for Szymkowicz? “It was about what inspired him to write this play. As I mentioned earlier, most people-- even young people-- have a connection to aging-- whether through a parent or a friend or so forth. And so, I wanted to know where the play came from initially. Also, more practically, Adam’s responses to our questions have helped clarify some of the more mysterious or delicately laid references in the script.”
In fact, the script is still being refined. Just before rehearsals began, McCray and the company “received a new draft… and there have only been one or two small changes since. That said, once Adam arrives in the room, I expect he might have additional edits to the text or requests for staging based on what he sees.”
“We are doing this production in Chance’s smaller, more intimate space, and I’m so glad. This play is humorous, but it’s also delicate, so I’m thankful we are in a small venue where the audience is close. Keeping the performances natural will help the Paul-Marie relationship be fully seen and felt.”
As for the play’s title, McCray refrained from explaining its meaning. “It’s something we’re keeping close to the chest, and its meaning is revealed to those who attend.”
Eric Marchese has written about numerous subjects for more than 40 years as a freelance and staff journalist at a wide variety of publications, but is best known as a critic, feature writer and news reporter covering theatre and the arts throughout Orange County and beyond.
‘Such Small Hands’
Chance Theater
Bette Aitken theatre arts Center
5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA
February 28 - March 23, 2025
(888) 455-4212, chancetheater.com
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