A raucously dark comedy, “Exit, Pursued by a Bear” centers on Nan, who lives in a small mountain town in Georgia. She’s had enough of her abusive husband Kyle, and so, with the help of her best friends – Simon, a flamboyant former male cheerleader, and Sweetheart, a stripper and wannabe famous actress – she plots revenge against Kyle. The trio engages in theatrics designed to first punish him verbally before he is left to literally get mauled by bears while they skip town.
The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission. It’s a cozy production directed by Kira Blaskovich, with six actors taking turns playing different roles. The ensemble does a great job entertaining the audience with bouts of hilarious dialogue. Headliners Kaitlyn Summers, Raymond Evans, Jillian Jones, Isai Luna, Eric Peterson, and Ruth Russell tiptoe on the edge and occasionally over it while addressing the serious topic of domestic abuse.
Summers portrays Nan as an angry woman who has reached her boiling point with a selfish husband who also happens to be an unlicensed hunter, avid gambler, and drunken redneck. Petersen as Kyle spends most of his time tied to a chair, trying to remind Nan that he hasn’t always been a bad guy. Luna (Simon) keeps the audience wide awake and wildly amused with his over-the-top and vibrant character who makes good use of all the available space in Coronado Playhouse’s cozy venue. Jones (Sweetheart) matches Luna’s high energy with her cute and witty portrayal of a fierce, but flawed, friend.
This Lauren Gunderson play is currently running at the Coronado Playhouse, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm as well as Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, through September 8.
Coronado Playhouse is at 1835 Strand Way, near the fountain at the north end of the Community Center. For tickets, visit coronadoplayhouse.org. Or call 619-435-4856 for more information.
