The hat box in question is discovered in the process of two middle aged sisters, Winnie and Claire, clearing out the belongings of their deceased father. This funny and touching script is more about the relationship between the sisters than solving the mystery of the hat box — which serves as a proverbial “can of worms” challenging their assumptions about their parents, and more. The sisters’ search for answers leads to more questions and a peek into other lives that are more complicated than expected.
Sandra Birch and Suzi Regan are wonderful as the sisters, bickering and challenging and mis-remembering as siblings do. Their contrasting take on the controversial gravy boat paints them as not exactly close. Their visit to Aunt Esther (Karen Sheridan) adds new levels of hilarity and more “worms out of the can” with her delightful, eccentric portrayal. She leads them to Stanley and Marcia’s house (Bruce Rico Wade and Brenda Lane), and it’s a veritable “worm storm” of new possibilities, explanations, conflicts and laughs. Director John Lepard can be very proud of this cast.
The relatively neutral scenic design by Aaron Delnay floats from a realistic base to an artistic cloud of hatbox-shaped, wallpaper hexagons. It changes little in the scene shifts to the different abodes — because it’s about the people, not the locations — and trying to make sense of what perhaps never will. Sharing the search may be therapeutic in itself.
The Hat Box world premiere continues through August 14. Tickets at http://williamstontheatre.org