Steppenwolf Theatre: The Book of Grace Review
Namir Smallwood with Zainab Jah and Brian Marable
Steppenwolf Theatre Company Presents THE BOOK OF GRACE Review - When You Want To Create Walls In Your Own Home
TLDR: A son comes to his estranged father’s doorstep hoping for little more than a recommendation for a potential job with him as a border patrol agent. Set in a small house in the middle of a nondescript border town, The Book of Grace is a slow reveal as we unpack more of their past relationship along with his father’s new relationship with Grace.
Zainab Jah and ensemble member Namir Smallwood
Lead With Aliens, But Keep It Down to Earth
“ALIENS!” is the first cry we hear from Vet (Brian Marable) as he stands in his living room ironing his border patrol uniform. He shows us the perfect crease in the shirtsleeve. He has that distinct army tone as he continues to practice his speech. But no, he’s not talking about extraterrestrials. He’s talking about people who are not citizens of the country they are in. He will be awarded later this week for catching a truck full of people trying to cross the border illegally and though he’s trying to find the right words, it’s clear he has not given many speeches in his life.
Around the perimeter of the stage is a border of the house giving us a floor plan. The entire house feels like it’s in the middle of the desert as each piece of furniture is sepia toned. The beige couch sits in front of a tube television with a box of tissues placed just so on the coffee table. A fan rotates lazily overhead not trying too hard against the hot desert heat. The kitchenette hasn’t been updated in years, but is tidy and neat with dishes drying in the dishrack and a coffee pot plugged in. It’s a simple home, but gives us the sense that everything always has its proper place and they are not a household with a lot of extravagant means.
Zainab Jah and Namir Smallwood
The Slow Unravel
Vet checks his son, Buddy’s (Namir Smallwood) ID at the door and pulls out the metal detector to give him a quick sweep as well. Ok…we think to ourselves, he’s probably just extra uptight about security because that’s just part of his job. Grace (Zainab Jah) comes and goes from home in the morning to her job at the diner. She always has a pad of paper in hand and is writing things down for “The Book of Grace.” When Buddy shows up, it’s a bit awkward at first, but tells his father he needs a job and would appreciate a recommendation to work at Homeland Security. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, just a little tense.
The first act feels like it’s setting the scene, only subtly alluding to a troublesome past. This family is definitely not close. By the second act, more is revealed about the family and we see that perhaps there is more than just a family spat on the horizon.
Vet puts Buddy through rigorous army exercises to test his physical and mental skills which almost pushes Buddy to the edge of a mental break. Buddy is making secret phone calls to an unknown source. Jah feels like she’s the only thing holding things down from exploding. When she makes an entry into “The Book of Grace”, small, musical symbols chime and the stage is bathed in a calming blue. She writes about the small good things she sees in life and does her best to try and get Vet and Buddy to build a new relationship and move forward.
Suddenly, on the day of the medal ceremony, it feels like a bomb goes off as things go from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye and we see how the trauma runs deep with this family.
Brian Marable, Namir Smallwood, and Zainab Jah
The After Party Thoughts
Oof. This one is a heavy one as it deals with a lot of different topics from people’s strong opinions about the U.S./Mexican border to mental illness and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Book of Grace starts heavy and stays heavy the entire time. We get moments of respite through Grace as she finds those moments of good and a few other funny moments here and there, but overall we’re watching these and just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
This production feels a tad unbalanced between the first and second act, like something was missing in the first. I generally like plays where it’s a slow build and release of information to the audience, but to me the set-up in the first act didn’t give us much of anything to build off of or feel like anything was simmering beneath the surface.
The Book of Grace is a show that takes the right mindset to be ready for. So if you’re looking for a fun date night out or a light hearted play, this would not be the show for you. However, if you are interested in plays that dive deep into serious topics and are prepared for it, this would be a good fit for you.
SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED
When
Now through May 18, 2025
Where
Steppenwolf Theatre
1650 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60614
Runtime: 2hrs 30min, with intermission
Tickets
$20+
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office (312) 335-1650) or through the Steppenwolf Theatre website
Photos
Michael Brosilow
Find Allie and The After Party featured on Theatre in Chicago
CAST
Zainab Jah (Grace)
Brian Marable (Vet)
Namir Smallwood (Buddy)
Namir Smallwood
CREATIVE
Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwright)
Steve H. Broadnax III (Director)
Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Design)
Raquel Adorno (Costume Design)
Jason Lynch (Lighting Design)
Curtis Craig (Sound Design & Original Music)
Rasean Davonté Johnson (Projection Design)
Maya Vinice Prentiss (Fight & Intimacy Consultant)
Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach)
Jonathan L. Green (Dramaturg)
Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer)
Elise Hausken (Production Manager)
JC Clementz, CSA (Casting)
Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager)
Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager)