Rabbit Hole

Four year old boy is killed when he chases his dog into the street and is hit by a car. How do his parents live after the accidental death of their only child?  This is the premise of the play Rabbit Hole.

The play opens eight months after Danny’s death. The mother and father are both grieving deeeply but differently. At first it appears that the the dad is coping and the mom is having the harder time.  He immerses himself in traditional therapies such as staying in touch with friends and going to group counseling.  She avoids those and is seen suffering every time she comes across items belonging to her son– which is all the time. She even suggests moving from the house they loved to get away from the memories. 

As the onion is peeled back we see him greive in his own ways. Unlike her, he receives comfort from having his sons’ things around him. He accuses his wife of trying to erase all evidence of Danny’s existence.  Their cycles of hurt and normalcy spin at speeds and on different axis.  Neither is right or wrong but these differences keep them from being able to help and comfort each other — intensifying the pain.

I cannot imagine how  people continue to live any sort of non- hellish life after such a loss. I suspect that I could not cope. More blessing counting going on in this household.

The play and performances were excellent. The playwright provided periodic touches of humor allowing the audience moments to breath. This allowed us to feel even more intensely pain and hopelessness throughout most of the play. And yet it ended on the scene portrayed in the picture. There is hope that somehow this couple will take one forward step at a time and may still have life to live.