RECOVERY
An official selection
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Recovery is an authentic and funny drama that follows the story of Michael and Kathleen, who meet in a hospital while undergoing treatment for leukemia and share a series of encounters that help each find a personal connection they've been longing for, but also leads to unexpected conflicts as Michael and Kathleen skirt the line between friendship and romance. Threaded throughout the play are patients, past and present, and those trying to heal them. Together, each character grapples to maintain their identity and sense of purpose while facing life and death situations.
"Poignant. Honest. Unique. Recovery stands out strongly as an authentic piece of theater armed with courage and a contagious sense of humor to confront even the most challenging situations"
A reminder of the strength of human connections. Recovery strikes a balance between humor and truth. Patients, all facing love and loss differently, tell stories of anger, denial and sadness, but also of hope and strength and support. There are plenty of witty comebacks, charm and comedy."
"Recovery has authenticity. Without being a bio-drama, the play follows two leukemia patients, who confront their disease as they struggle to regain a sense of hope, humor, and love in their lives. Is this play depressing? Not at all. Watching Michael and Kathleen undergo their cancer treatments triggers some very funny scenes, underscoring the old idea that tragedy and comedy are opposite sides of the same coin. One of the drama's more poignant moments, in fact, plays out in a hospital room following Kathleen and Michael's blood transfusions. Michael, whose attempts at seducing Kathleen have repeatedly failed, suddenly inflates a disposable examination glove and offers it as a pseudo-bouquet to Kathleen. It's a disarming moment, and a profound one. Along with Michael and Kathleen's leukemia battle (and romance), we learn about others suffering from the disease and those trying to heal them. Minor characters add much emotional depth to the work… they will truly move you. Recovery reminds you that plays are not mass-produced commodities."
Quirky, edgy material told with honesty and the right light touch. "
Uncovers the human desire to connect despite the uncertainty of our fate. It is funny, bittersweet, and delivered with great naturalism."
"Williams doesn't portray his characters as victims, but reminds us that they are all very much like us, despite having leukemia. We totally relate to [their] yearning for love which makes us root for these characters, not pity them. Overall, Recovery has a great raw emotional, universal quality."
"A powerful exploration through the emotional quagmire of long-term health care. The play allows us to see two people falling in love, forgetting for brief moments that they’re still patients. Theirs is an ongoing search for normalcy in tragedy, control within the uncontrollable, and a little bit of love in a world that’s shown them little. But they navigate, somehow, exchanging summer camp stories, staring contests, and life savers to punctuate the time in an endless Brechtian cycle of waiting rooms and relapses. Recovery's structure is smart and defies expectations."
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In 2013, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center created a short film based on a scene from Recovery for its Visible Ink program, a creative outlet for those who have, or who are recovering from, cancer. The film was directed by Greg Kachejian, who stars alongside Catherine Augier. Both appear courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association.