Review By Susannah Whitman, Front Row Reviewers
If you’ve ever wanted to be the best version of yourself you could be (or watch as everything disintegrates around you), head to Ogden for Good Company Theatre’s production of Coach Coach, by Bailey Williams.
The story takes place during one afternoon at a Life Coach Retreat, where four women (and one assistant) have gathered to learn from the renowned Dr. Meredith Martin. The vibes are “cult that you didn’t realize was a cult because we’re focused on growth around here” paired with Lord of the Flies level violence is bubbling right underneath the surface and we’re all one second away from scratching each other’s eyes out.” Good Company’s content guide states that the show contains “adult language and themes, and the constant threat of physical and psychic violence” and boy did I feel that.
Good Company’s small performance space is transformed into the living room of a small rental cottage. Alina Cannon’s set design, brought to life by set dresser and scenic charge artist Camille Washington, is something between a tearoom and a funeral parlor, and I mean that in the best way. Soft paintings of birds and women adorn the walls, and brocade fabric adorns the furniture. Everything about the set felt like a reminder that there is a proper way to be, especially for women.
It’s impossible to pick out a star performance from the ensemble cast of this show. It’s clear that director Alicia Washington gave actors room to play and follow impulses, and the result is magical. The script veers into absurdist territory often enough that Shakespearean performances don’t feel out of place, but neither do moments of sincerity.
Laura Elise Chapman excels as the dark, ambitious (and vaguely feral?) Velma, and her comedic timing is perfect, whether she’s begging the head coach for a job or trying to seduce a fellow coach. McKalle Dahl’s arc as Margo is deeply satisfying—she goes from timid assistant to powerful adversary, and Dahl brings a power to the role that is exactly what the character needs. Nicole Finney’s performance as Patty shows us a character who desperately wants to be good at her job, but who carries a barely concealed anxiety underneath the surface.
Kelsie Jepsen brings a similar energy to the role of Ann, who is a happily married (she promises! She loves her husband!) love and dating coach. Jepsen makes it clear that this character’s own loneliness is breaking through her cheerful façade. Carol Madsen plays Cornelia, who may actually be the only sane character in the show. Madsen is grounded and authentic in her work, providing an anchor for the chaos of the other characters. Rounding out the cast is Tracie Merrill-Wilson*, who plays the rock star head coach, Dr. Meredith Martin. Merrill-Wilson absolutely commands the room when she’s onstage, as is only fitting.
I absolutely loved the costume design by Citlali Urquiza. Every character’s costume reveals so much about who they are, but the design as a whole is cohesive. There is a sort of “New Age Healer attends a D.A.R. meeting” vibe, and it is perfect. Lighting by Austin Stephenson is simple yet effective. Sound designer Kyle Lawrence made me feel like I was watching a corporate training video with his transition music (think corporate 80’s/90’s), and the occasional musical stings are the perfect way to heighten both the tension and the comedy. Finally, fight choreography by Kristi Curtis created just the right amount of chaos, when every character’s guard is finally and actually down.
I left the theatre thinking about how every single one of us is just trying to figure life out, and when someone comes along with answers that feel good, it’s easy to fall hard into their orbit. Dr. Meredith Martin’s Action Coach Academy for Thinking Coaches has everything from ritual hand motions to catchphrases, and her work perpetuates the myth that breakdowns are necessary for breakthroughs. She’s created a world where everyone has to “perform” a version of themselves that ultimately isn’t sustainable.
And if that isn’t an important lesson about life, I don’t know what is.
*Member of Actors Equity Association
Good Company Theatre presents Coach Coach by Bailey Williams.
Good Company Theatre, 2404 Wall Avenue, Ogden, UT 84401
Friday, April 11 7:30 PM, Saturday, April 12 4:00 PM, Sunday April 13 4:00 PM, Friday, April 18 7:30 PM, Saturday, April 19 7:30 PM, Sunday, April 20 7:30 PM
Contact: 801-917-4969 Tickets $30 ($15 with valid ID) available at the door or online.
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