Hucka
Written & Directed by Suzanne Willett
The Players Theatre | 115 MacDougal Street, New York NY 10012
September 4th - 18th, 2025
There are many layers to the onion that is Hucka. While advertised as being “inspired by Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, I think trying to reach for similarities will limit the audience's appreciation of the work. There are equal parts theology and mythology on this journey down the river. Past folds over present, and memories emerge from the fog.
Cain (Carson Merrick) has been searching for his sister, Hucka (Brooke Elizabeth) to make amends. He is traveling down river with “Godog” (Jayden Key) his guide. Hucka has been floating downstream for a long time before she is plucked from the waters, and is not necessarily ready for all of the memories (Natalie Malia Figuracion) she encounters. Cain does not want her to remember, and scolds Godog for not steering them clear. It becomes clear that Cain lacks the sincerity to make amends, and is only making the effort to find salvation.
Writing and directing a play of this scale is a major undertaking. No disrespect is meant to Suzanne Willett when I say that I think she missed the opportunity of having someone interpret her work. The director brings an external perspective, offering fresh insights into the text and its themes that might not have been fully realized by the playwright. This collaboration between the director and the cast can highlight elements of the play that resonate differently depending on the director's interpretation, cultural context, and vision. The playwright, by entrusting their work to a director, allows it to grow, evolve, and take on new meaning, unrealized implications. In short, most playwrights are too close to the work. Hucka is layered, multifaceted, and capable of being peeled back and explored in countless ways.
Hucka is about finding safety. Where are you safe? What are you willing to risk and what lengths are you willing to go to? Can there be lasting change if no one is called to account for their actions? Must we drift endlessly or can we at last rest? This premiere cries out for an audience to bring it safely to shore.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Nicole Jesson.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on September 10, 2025. All rights reserved.