Maxine (Kim Furlow) is confined to a bed, counts the days and trusts no one. She’s especially suspicious of Nurse Tina (Jeanitta Perkins), whom she claims is slowly killing her. Even worse, Maxine believes that her daughter (Kristen Strom) is after her money and behind the murder scheme.
So Maxine comes up with a plan of her own, to get revenge from beyond the grave. But what if she’s actually the victim not of a conspiracy but of her own paranoia?
That’s the question looming over “Death Tax,” the well-acted, witty and suspenseful play running through Sunday May 19 in a Mustard Seed Theatre production. Written by Lucas Hnath (“A Doll’s House, Part 2,” recently produced at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) and directed by Bess Moynihan, it’s a dark and timely comedy that taps into fears of helplessness, betrayal and scorn from a society obsessed with youth and beauty.
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Nurse Tina and her supervisor, Todd (Reginald Pierre), disagree about how to deal with Maxine. Theft and deception are definitely options and could lead to significantly bolstering their bank accounts. But the two could just as easily wind up in prison.
Hnath, one of the hottest playwrights of the moment, has come up with a story poised somewhere between the twisty plots of Alfred Hitchcock movies and the menacing scenarios of playwright Harold Pinter. And Moynihan keeps the momentum going admirably while eliciting spot-on performances.
In perhaps the most challenging role, Perkins keeps the audience on her side while hinting that she may be hiding something. Furlow’s performance is a delightful study in nastiness. Strom makes a strong impression as the beleaguered daughter. And Pierre is outstanding as the conflicted Todd.
“Death Tax” makes a time leap in its final scene that involves two new characters and demands particularly close attention. But it’s an intriguing play that deserves to be seen.
