Lantern Theater Company presents Anna Ziegler’s The Wanderers

The narrative of The Wanderers unfolds in two alternating stories. The contemporary plotline centers on Abe (Robert DaPonte) and Sophie (Arielle Siler), a married couple living in the gentrified Williamsburg neighborhood. Abe, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author by the age of 30, finds himself engrossed in a virtual correspondence with Julia Cheever (Alanna J. Smith), a movie star who attended one of his readings. Meanwhile, Sophie, whose debut novel faltered, grapples with her own professional insecurities and their impact on her marriage.

In contrast, the play also delves into the life of Esther (Zoe Nebraska Feldman) and Schmuli (Adam Howard), a Hasidic Jewish couple from the Williamsburg Satmar community in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their arranged marriage initially aligns with traditional roles, but as time progresses, Esther chafes against the constraints imposed by her community, while Schmuli struggles to reconcile his own gentleness with traditional notions of masculinity.

Rich but uneven

Ziegler’s script, while rich in thematic material, feels uneven in its execution. The Esther and Schmuli storyline emerges as more compelling and nuanced compared to the contemporary plotline, which occasionally lacks depth and fails to fully engage the audience. Abe, a predictable and unlikable character, gets the most stage time. This is especially true towards the show’s twisty climax, which fails to pay off.

Bernstein’s direction mirrors this unevenness. The contemporary scenes, in particular, suffer from performances that often feel overly presentational and occasionally under-rehearsed. DaPonte and Siler struggle to capture the subtlety required for their roles, while Smith does her best with a character that remains more cipher than substance.

Feldman and Howard excel in their roles, bringing depth and authenticity to their well-crafted characters. Their performances stand out, highlighting the stronger aspects of Ziegler’s writing in this period setting.

Visually, Will Lowry’s set design adeptly distinguishes and unifies the two timelines, enhancing the play’s overall coherence. Amanda Jensen’s lighting design, though effective, occasionally drifts into a dreamlike quality towards the end, which enhances the triteness of the play’s ending.