Joel Moses and Nicole Angeli in the Albion Theatre production of LUNGS
“Bring a baby…into a world like this?”
This is a conversation that has taken place many times, in many different forms, among the WEIRD couples of the Millennial and Z generations (“WEIRD” as in “Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic”). In an age of overstimulation and overconsumption, a conversation about intimate, personal choices inevitably devolves into yet another rant over politics.
This uncomfortably relatable scenario is analyzed in LUNGS, written by contemporary playwright Duncan Macmillan. It tells a story so universal, the characters don’t even need names—they are instead referred to as “M” and “W.” The characters are proxies for the audience members and their significant others. We laugh at their clever, flirtatious banter, cringe at their awkwardness, and grieve their losses, because we have all felt these exact feelings.
LUNGS (directed by Ellie Schwetye)is the final production for Albion Theatre Company’s 2024 season. It is one of the newest plays that the company has performed, but it fits in nicely with their repertoire of sophisticated, thematically rich stories from the UK and Ireland. LUNGS was first performed in 2011 but it is more relevant than ever—we certainly did not save the planet in the past 13 years. The play’s conflict is driven by family planning choices and fertility problems—it is extremely relevant to American audiences in 2024.
The play opens with the most embarrassing trip to IKEA imaginable. M (Joel Moses) and W (Nicole Angeli) are finally having “that” conversation, and they just happen to be in the checkout. They adjourn to the parking lot, where they trade barbs, spout statistics about the CO2 tonnage produced by the average European, talk about population control, then realize that they are endorsing eugenics. After reassuring themselves that they are, in fact, “good people,” M and W begin planning their family in earnest. Who knows? Maybe their child will be the one who gets us out of this mess.
At first glance, M and W seem like stereotypes: over-educated, neurotic liberal hipsters who use politics and science to justify their indecisiveness and their personal failings. As the story progresses, however, M and W become far more interesting. Audiences witness arguments over sex, fidelity, finances, and the future that mix humor and pathos. We become emotionally invested in their relationship and saddened by their setbacks. The story takes occasional leaps in time, and it’s fascinating to see how the couple’s relationship evolves.
LUNGS features minimal set design. There is nothing onstage besides the actors and two slightly elevated platforms. The show features no music, but it does make good use of ambient sounds and lighting. The show is roughly 90 minutes long and does not include an intermission. Each scene flows smoothly into the next, with little-to-no interruption. LUNGS is a focused, engaging, and affecting experience.
LUNGS ends its run at the Kranzberg Black Box Theatre (501 N. Grand Blvd.) on November 3. Stay tuned for details on The Beauty Queen of Leenane, the first show of Albion’s 2025 season. It premieres March 14. | Rob Von Nordheim
For tickets, upcoming schedules, and more, visit albiontheatrestl.org.
