Israel Horovitz's Free Gift is a sweet, tender play. Yes, I wrote "sweet."
Roselle (Kathryn Kelly), a white English woman, found a baby in a box on her doorstep 15 years ago. It was Heather's (LaNae DePriest) baby. Heather, a black girl, had just turned 15 years old. After years of legal machinations, Roselle and her husband legally adopted the child, which they named Max (Ty'Reek Hill). Subsequently, her husband died leaving her a single mom.
The play is bookended by very short scenes with Max. This is a charming addition to the original two-person script. Hill adds depth and humanity to a character who otherwise would have been only spoken about, never seen. His inclusion also brings to mind the words sweet and tender, especially in the closing moments of the play.
The story, while pivoting around Max, now a teenager, also deals with the two women, their life stories, their trials through the previous years, and now a potential relationship. Heather, an insurance agent, gains entrance to Roselle's home on the ruse of selling life insurance. Both women are quite insightful and it quickly becomes apparent to Roselle that Heather is the mother of her child. Their conversation, while starting out quite civil, is a roller coaster of emotions. Each distrusts the other and finds the common ground of Max to be a challenge. Roselle is almost panicked trying to interpret Heather's motives for the meeting. Heather, having given up her son, still has very strong feelings. Kelly and DePriest play off of each other nicely. There are rough moments, but overall the performances are well done.
Originally scripted as a one-act play, Director George Bailey opted for a two-act, four-scene presentation. It works well in either form. Prolific playwright Horovitz sets the work in his native New York.
C.A.T. have recently moved into to their brand new home at the corner of 54th and College Grove (Krenning Street). The seating is raked, providing excellent lines. They now have all the amenities of a large theatre in a small space. While you may go in as a stranger, the management and audience at CAT soon make you a friend.
