University of Delaware's REP presents Theresa Rebeck's 'The Bells'

She conjures the frozen Yukon in 1899 and 1917 for this grim ghost story. The Bells explores denial and guilt, what people will do to survive, and how they rationalize their actions.

A lonely outpost

Chinese prospector Xuefei (Austin Ku) narrates the tale, providing background about what occurred in 1899. Eighteen years later, bar owner Mathias (Lee E. Ernst) maintains a lonely oasis in a depressed, post-Gold Rush wilderness, nursing some barely surviving misfits with booze and food despite daughter Annette’s (Sara Griffin) objections.

When French-Canadian Baptiste (Mic Matarrese) shows up asking questions, memories – and spirits – are stirred.

The Bells has a relentless quality reminiscent of Eugene O’Neill, which isn’t necessarily a compliment; though only two hours long, the play feels wordy and repetitive because what happened in the past is revealed early and isn’t surprising, and what’s occurring in the present to these self-torturing characters feels predictable and inevitable.

Bleak tundra

Rebeck enlivens the proceedings with period songs accompanied by fiddler Ryan Kiple, as well as strong design work from scenic designer Alexander Dodge and lighting designer Philip S. Rosenberg, who use Thompson Theatre’s imposing height and depth to create a compellingly bleak tundra and spectacular northern lights, but a cavernous tavern.

The acting ensemble, a combination of REP resident actors and affiliated guests, perform ably, but The Bells – unlike Rebeck’s other REP premieres, O Beautiful and Fever, part of their long-term partnership – doesn’t feel like it has a future after this production, at least not in this form. It wants to be a more suspenseful shocker, more a Conor McPherson play like The Weir or The Seafarer. Still, it’s great that a local theater company has a continuing relationship with a significant American playwright.