It’s New York, Sept. 12, 2001 and everyone in the city is dealing with the tragedy in their own way. The Mercy Seat tells the story of Ben and Abby, two young professionals who have been having an affair for the past four years. Ben sees the city’s tragic upheaval as a chance for him to “disappear” from his responsibility-laden life and escape to a new existence with the woman he really loves – Abby.
The play deals with the arguments and struggles for power this couple goes through on the day after the 9/11 attack. They are tucked away in Abby’s apartment and, because of the chaos inflicted upon their normal lives, they have all the time in the world to discuss sex, power, love, betrayal and all the other intricacies of a personal relationship.
The text moves at a steady pace and maintains the audience’s interest despite the fact it involves very little action and only two characters. Abby and Ben bicker about just about everything, making their relationship very real. Their concerns are common and the audience can identify with the worries, doubts and fears they face in their romantic relationship.
Nikki Shaffeeullah, as Abby, seems very comfortable on stage. She is clearly listening to her fellow actor and her reactions are honest and natural. Her diction is superb and she clearly understands the subtext of everything her character says.
Gabe Richter, as Ben, does not have the grounded quality his co-star does. His movements seem hesitant and his character choices are not always clear. One might argue that his character is in a state of emotional upheaval, but that should not cause him to move so cautiously around the stage. Ben, as a character, is crass and forward at times, the audience expects to see a far more domineering, powerful presence in this role.
The blocking in this production is not always clean and the actors tend to wander around the stage aimlessly as they express their deepest fears and desires. Although a certain amount of pacing is natural in their situation, clear movements from one part of the stage to another would have been more effective than the circling around chairs and set pieces they do throughout this production.
Both characters do, however, have solid moments to themselves, particularly when they are grounded in one place. Richter delivers a very powerful monologue at the end of the play when he reveals his true intentions to his mistress.
Shaffeeullah also has strong reactions to what her partner says. She is emotional without being maudlin and the audience believes, at times, in the true investment these two people have made in one another.
The Mercy Seat is an interesting play because it deals with a smaller repercussion of a far greater tragic event. Labute has chosen to go into the lives of two people affected by the horror of 9/11. They are not firefighters, or police, or even people who were in the building at the time of the attack; but like all New Yorkers, Abby and Ben found their lives greatly changed after Sept. 11, 2001. This is their story, and it’s worth listening to.
The Mercy Seat is playing Nov. 15-18
TNC theatre at McGill (Morrice Hall)
For tickets call: 514. 398.6600
