Tyler Herman (Golem) and Maboud Ebrahimzadeh (Hetchman) in Theater J’s production of “The Hatmaker’s Wife.” Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Have you ever worn a hat so enchanting, you felt completely happy and a little bit magic? If you’re willing to imagine such a thing were commonplace, then you may enjoy the fable-like “The Hatmaker’s Wife,” produced by Theater J. Overflowing with whimsy, this magical, realist play includes a talking wall, a Cheeto-munching golem, and hats that come with their own bubbling orchestrations. An early 2010s play from the eminent playwright Lauren Yee, whose later works “Cambodian Rock Band,” “King of the Yees,” and “The Great Leap” have recently graced DC-area stages, “The Hatmaker’s Wife” shares reliance on contrivance to connect many disparate plot threads, but in a story less grounded than her later works. What results is a deeply tragic fairytale whose charms will depend on your personal tolerance for whimsy and the strength of your suspension of disbelief.
A strange, modern fairytale…sure to enchant any theatergoer seeking whimsy and tragedy in equal parts.
Voice (Ashley D. Nguyen), an endearingly high-strung young copy editor, is moving in with her boyfriend (Tyler Herman) when the Wall (Alex Tatarsky) of their new home begins speaking to her. Sassy and flirtatious, Wall begins sharing the story, page by page, of the home’s former resident, Hetchman, the hatmaker (Maboud Ebrahimzadeh). Hetchman seems to love only one thing—his burgundy top hat. When he wears it, he hears the mystical Hat Music that only the owner of a hat may hear. Hetchman’s Wife (Sue Jin Song) meanwhile toils (hat-less) in the house, constantly bent in domestic labor while Hetchman never budges from his chair by the TV. Who could blame her for running away from a husband who cannot even recall her name and stealing away his hat in her flight?
As the Hatmaker’s story is revealed by Wall, we uncover the rules of this world. Love is like gravity here, and without enough, you’ll simply float away. Memories can be stored away in jars and replayed with the twist of the cap. Once a year, the dead can rise and visit. If a golem (Tyler Herman) should emerge from the mud and muck, appease it until you determine what type of golem it is.
Ivania Stack’s costuming includes this looming but cute Golem—a bit like a mud-caked, marshmallow man. Casual vintage clothes on Hetchman and others in his era contrast with the bold colors and formal styles of the hats. The drab beige dress of Hetchman’s wife seems to swallow her whole as she scrubs, dust, and fetches. When she steals away, Sarah O’Halloran sound design helps conjure the shaking and chugging of the train, just as it also creates the floating hat music or the menacing groan of the house.
Lines of memory-jars rest above the stage on skewed floating shelves while Wall is clad in dated wallpaper and adorned with a handful of photos hung haphazardly. Misha Kachman’s scenic design assembles a room filled with eye-sore antiques from Hetchman’s time. An enormous U-Haul box and handful of cardboard moving boxes suggest the new occupants, but Voice and her boyfriend are often little more than framing devices for Hetchman’s story.
In the one-act show, the first half meanders lightly, full of humor and slim on plotting. Slapstick and potty humor pepper the first few scenes, alongside plentiful one-liners. A sharp turn in the second half darkens the tone and sets the pieces falling towards their eventual end. However, with so little of the story grounded in reality, this tone shift proves jarring and leaves a few loose ends.
A strange, modern fairytale of the Hans Christian Anderson rather than Disney persuasion, “The Hatmaker’s Wife” is sure to enchant any theatergoer seeking whimsy and tragedy in equal parts. Ample comedy keeps the energy high, even when the pacing stumbles. The hallmarks of Lauren Yee’s distinctive voice are evident, with a puzzle-box plot and touches of magic. But unlike her later works, this ending isn’t quite tied down, leaving it to float away like an unloved child.
Running Time: One hour and 40 minutes without intermission.
Advisory: Ages 12+.
“The Hatmaker’s Wife” runs through June 25, 2024 at Theater J, 1529 16 ST NW, Washington, DC 20036. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
