Steadstyle Chicago
	November 2008 Theatre Review by Joe Stead
	Dublin Carol William Petersen has barely spoken five lines of dialogue before he has a pint in his hand.  An Irish play you ask, what tipped you off?  Judging from "The Weir" and "Dublin Carol," Conor McPherson may be the most over-rated playwright to achieve success this side of the Emerald Isle.  It's not just that McPherson at times sounds like a second-rate David Mamet.  We all know the Irish have the gift of gab.  But talk is cheap in the theatre when we don't have an interesting plot or characters with which to empathize. In "Dublin Carol," Petersen plays a middle-aged funeral assistant whose life has been mostly consumed by liquor, guilt and self-loathing.  Twenty-five years ago, John left his wife, daughter and son for a love affair with the bottle.  The owner of the funeral business, Noel befriended him, gave him a job and a fresh start.  And now that Noel has been hospitalized and his 20-year-old nephew Mark is poised to step in as a new apprentice of sort, John is forced to confront the demons that still haunt him.  His estranged wife is now dying of cancer, his daughter Mary hasn't seen her father in ten years, and she's come to ask him to conduct the funeral once her mother passes. Funerals, John explains to Mark, are for those left behind.  Bereavement and respect are of no use to the deceased, "If you haven't earned it when you're alive, don't look for it after you're dead."  John vows that when it's his time, "I'd want it over as quick as possible."  And while he takes his profession seriously, he can't bring himself to see let alone bury his own wife.  Mary wonders what he would do differently if given a chance, but John barely seems cognizant of his actions and completely unwilling to alter his destiny.  "I'm in a fog," he says.  Love is dangerous and unconditional love is the worst blow.    It's always nice to see a successful film or television star return to their stage roots, not only for the potential marquee value but to practice their craft in a meaningful forum before a live audience.  Sad to report, Steppenwolf's "Dublin Carol" is a disappointing showcase for Petersen's talents.  He has the richest and best developed of the play's three roles, and there's a quiet, workmanlike proficiency to his acting.  Unfortunately, it never crosses into something powerful or emotionally grabbing.  The sense of irreparable despair and self-induced loathing feel pretty shallow, and Petersen's slightly hesitant delivery never feels properly grounded or believable. The same cannot be said of the intense Nicole Wiesner, who wordlessly shows layers of pain and betrayal.  Wiesner is a stunning actress who makes her role of Mary quietly moving and endlessly sympathetic.  Stephen Louis Grush completes the trio in a roughly sketched role as young Mark, who functions as little more than a sounding board for Petersen's John.  We see a man battling an army of demons - boredom, loneliness, guilt and fear of being judged by others.  Rather than atone for his mistakes in life, learn from his hurtles or change course and find some kind of redemption, John's solution is to drink more.  It's a kind of dramaturgical laziness that's not helped by Director Amy Morton's uninspired production.  The best thing to be said for this Steppenwolf "special engagement" is the marvelously detailed and evocative setting by Kevin Depinet.  "Dublin Carol" plays through January 4, 2009 at Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.  The play runs 80 minutes with no intermission.  Performances are Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 3:00 p.m.  There will be an added performance on Sunday, December 28 at 3:00 p.m.  There will be no performances on November 27, December 24 or 25.  Tickets are $50-$70.  Half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show and student discounts are available.  Call (312) 335-1650 or visit www.steppenwolf.org.