Paula Vogel’s “How I Learned to Drive” is about much more than the rubber meeting the road. Though described as a “wildly funny” show, “Drive” is much more of a thought-provoking memoir than it is a laugh-out-loud comedy. The Wilbury Group consistently sets the bar for shows that start conversation – especially the uncomfortable ones – and “How I Learned to Drive” is no exception.
The play, which premiered in 1997, long before the #metoo movement, feels contemporarily relevant as it explores the relationship between a young girl and her uncle, and the systems of power and control that go into their eventually sexual relationship. Told in a series of flashbacks and narrated, in part, by the young woman herself, “Drive” covers themes of incest, manipulation, and trust, all carried by the motif of learning to steer, maneuver, and eventually drive a vehicle.
Starring Tanya Anderson as the young “Li’l Bit” and Jim O’Brien as “Uncle Peck,” the Wilbury’s production of “How I Learned to Drive” features a small cast and a low-key stage that gives the show the latitude to speak for itself without frills. The director thoughtfully places the actors in different positions around the stage, allowing the audience to feel at times very close to the action and at others, intentionally distant. A stark lighting design often puts the spotlight on Anderson, and she seizes the opportunity to show the confusion, fear, and at last, disillusionment that one would expect from a young woman in her position. Though an older actress than probably would have been cast in the original production, Anderson convincingly portrays her character at various stages of life, from 11 or 12 to college-aged. O’Brien also deserves a nod as the at times likable, but ultimately disturbed Uncle Peck.
At times deeply troubling and all too familiar, “How I Learned to Drive” is by no means a “feel good” production, but is in many respects a necessary one. The Wilbury Group has boldly chosen a show that will make audiences uncomfortable, but also facilitates important discussions about systems of power and oppression, and the ways in which people can be taken advantage of by those they trust the most.
“How I Learned to Drive” runs now through September 30 at the Wilbury Theater Group at 40 Sonoma Street in Providence. Tickets can be bought here: https://www.thewilburygroup.org/how-i-learned-to-drive.html
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