Erika Chong Shuch & Charles Mee Celebrate Love at Any Age

by Mary Lou Herlihy

A late-in-life, free spirited woman and a wistful, aging dad take us on a journey through time. Their memories help and haunt them. Can they find a way to walk through the same door, together?

“The Fall Show,” a collaboration between director/choreographer Erika Chong Shuch and playwright Charles Mee, artfully mixes artist René Magritte’s mysterious imagery with eclectic music and modern dance. Elements come together to create a poetic sense of urgency.

Mikiko Uesugi’s beautiful Magritte-inspired set features a sky-blue room painted with soft clouds. Cloth-draped furnishings await a surprise uncovering. A stark tree recalls Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” And we wonder, who or what will arrive through the four beckoning blue doors. 

Sam (Reginald Wilkins) and Eddie (Beth Wilmurt) meet on a park bench in the autumn of their lives under the lone leafless tree. They share a nip of sherry and lament the loss of 60s era artistic freedom. “The end of an era,” they agree. They quote lines from Allen Ginsberg’s 60s poem “Howl.” Sam and Eddie’s unexpected alliance kindles dormant desires.

Eddie, a tall, White, no-nonsense hippy woman with a ukulele and a flask, declares her independence. Sam, a strong-willed, white-bearded Black man with a radio, asserts his stubborn streak. Can they accept each other’s idiosyncrasies before it’s too late?

In a sudden cacophony, six raucous dancers burst through the blue doors in sport jackets and bowler hats, the uniform of conformity. The dancers mimic playful howling winds that animate red-orange autumn leaves—a jubilant Greek chorus offering wisdom and warning in gorgeous, dire movement. 

As a melancholy piano plays softly, strangers Eddie and Sam begin falling in love. Folk, pop, classical, and metal music heighten their emotions. The ever-present chorus contributes harmonies to a breathtaking arrangement of The Beatles’ song “Help!” And a reggae “Ring of Fire” throws sparks into the air.

The inspired dancers defy boundaries, embodying lustful longings and unwelcome memories. One dancer puts on safety glasses, screaming as she smashes one plate after another. Is this anger from the past, or fear of falling again? Either way, it’s visceral, powerful.

Clever moments keep us chuckling. Two dancers in bowler hats place an apple in front of their faces, recreating Magritte’s celebrated painting. Crisp shadows and lovely lighting by Allen Willner blend colors and textures artfully.

When Eddie’s anger explodes, she slams a door so hard that it flies across the stage. Life becomes unhinged. She storms through the door and disappears. The echoing sound of slamming doors heighten the lovers’ painful quarrel. Sam stands alone, silhouetted by the forlorn tree—a brilliant contrast.

“The Fall Show,” a poetic meditation on aging, memory, and love, blends all the arts and makes space for playful experimentation. Shotgun Players’ talented, fearless team puts PLAY back into theater. Join them in a joyful celebration of love at any age.

 

“The Fall Show” —created by Erika Chong Shuch & Charles Mee, directed & choreographed by Erika Chong Shuch, scenic design by Mikiko Uesugi, lighting by Allen Willner, costumes by Ashlee Renee, sound by Matt Stines, music & vocal arrangements by Beth Wilmurt, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley. 

Info: shotgunplayers.org – to October 25, 2026.

Cast: Beth Wilmurt, Reginald Wilkins, Atosa Babaoff, Marit Brook-Kothlow, Vivian Huang, Louel Señores, Apollo Javier Sohrabi, and Chris Steele.

Banner photo: Marit Brook-Kothlow & cast of “The Fall Show.” Photos by Ben Krantz