Dark comedy ‘Wonder of the World’ delivers barrel of laughs

The Department of Communication, Film, and Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University held showings of the dark comedy “Wonder of the World,” written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Professor J.J. Cobb. The main stage production took place Oct. 14-19 in the Delmonte Bernstein Studio Theater of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.

The play uses wacky comedy elements and absurd plotlines to explore more serious issues, including marital dissatisfaction, the quest for personal identity, and desires for freedom. 

The chaotic play follows the story of Cass (Emma Yacono ‘26), who discovers a dirty little secret in her husband Kip’s (Tyler Warren ‘27) sweater drawer and flees to Niagara Falls in search of the life she missed out on. Along the way, she befriends Lois (Kylie Nigretti ‘27), a suicidal alcoholic carrying a barrel, the lonely Captain Mike (Colin Gilligan ‘28), a couple of amateur private investigators, and a therapist clown.  

“The chaos of this show was not only fun during our performances, but during rehearsals as well,” said Gilligan. “I had a great time hanging out with the cast, learning from our director, and bonding with everyone over the wackiness of the show.”  

For Nigretti, preparing for the role of Lois presented some difficulties. “My character faced a lot of challenges both before and during the play — challenges I had never gone through personally,” she said. “Because of this, I spent a lot of time with the script and thought about this character's journey more deeply than I thought about any other character I have played before.” 

Being her first comedy, Nigretti knew that “Wonder of the World” would be different than other productions she has participated in. “I don’t think I was prepared for just how much fun I would have,” she said. “Every rehearsal made me laugh harder than the previous one.” 

According to production stage manager Jordan Altimus, the scenes that required quick cues for changes in props or lighting were challenging, but “when executed properly, they certainly added to the scene, thanks to Jillian Martin's lighting design.”  

Martin agreed, stating that the show “was very intimidating upon the first read of the script,” as it takes place in a variety of locations such as a house, a hotel, a bus, and Niagara Falls.  

“This show really pushed me to try new things and experiment with new lighting,” said Martin. “It helped me grow not just in my design skills, but also in my own confidence as a designer.” 

The play’s themes of freedom and self-actualization are something that the cast hopes audiences can relate to. “The messages can really resonate with today's audiences, as the world seems more and more colorless and stale,” explained Gilligan.  

“It shows us that sometimes, the people you are around can color it in for you, but other times, you have to go in and color it yourself.”