Theater review: ‘The Baggage Plays’ at The Magnetic Theatre

CARRY ON: Unpacking life's baggage is both a metaphor and a reality in Murphy Funkhouser Capps' pair of autobiographical, one-woman shows. Photo courtesy of The Magnetic Theatre

Life and all the emotional baggage that comes with it are unpacked at The Magnetic Theatre in Murphy Funkhouser Capps’ one woman show, The Baggage Plays. Performed in two parts, on two different nights, Crazy Bag and Carry On run through Sunday, Sept. 15.

Funkhouser Capps takes us along for the ride from her childhood through motherhood, and beyond. She provides laughter and pathos amid the literal stacks of world-worn suitcases that adorn the stage around her.

What started as a single play many years ago continued to grow as Funkhouser Capps’ life progressed. She reworked her earlier version into two 75-minute, one-act plays. Much is informed by Capps’s church- and military-family upbringing. She clearly inherited the pastoral gene from her father, standing before a large congregation and testifying her life’s story. There are no altar calls, but there are plenty of moments where one might feel compelled to issue a hearty “Amen” in response to the moments of honesty.

Like a motivational speaker at a self-help seminar or group-therapy session, Funkhouser Capps instantly  endears herself to the audience and holds that relationship through a barrage of self-effacing confessions that often resonate. Who hasn’t had struggles with parental relationships during rebellious teenage years? And for those who’ve had children and felt uncertainty, there’s a deeply emotional connection as we witness Funkhouser Capps struggle with motherhood, fearing she isn’t ready to take on the responsibility for another life. The funny bone and the heartstrings both get a workout here, and often alarmingly close together.

A life size cut-out of the playwright, clad in a tight outfit and smoking a cigarette, is brought out as part of her rebellious side. Like a split personality, she indicates that it’s her invisible friend, egging her on to push boundaries. “Dark Murphy” is onstage from early in the show and serves as a constant reminder of that part of herself, even as she is forced to grow up and accept responsibility.

Rodney Smith directs and assists with some onstage machinations, as a small mountain of stacked suitcases come crashing down at one point. It’s a symbolic touch that might otherwise seem too on the nose, but the wit and sincerity of the show prevent it from falling into that trap.

Each suitcase represents something specific, or — more accurately — the baggage that we accumulate and haul around with us in life. Opening that baggage can be daunting, but whatever lurks inside is still there, whether we open it or not: a strong underlying message of the show. Just wanting to ignore it won’t make it go away. And through her bravery, Funkhouser Capps is willing to open her baggage for our entertainment and enlightenment.

WHAT: The Baggage Plays
WHERE: The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St., themagnetictheatre.com
WHEN: Through Sunday, Sept. 15. Crazy Bag runs Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., Carry On runs Friday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. $23 ($10 off tickets to both performances)

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Jeff Messer
playwright, actor, director and producer, Jeff Messer has been most recently known as a popular radio talk show host. He has been a part of the WNC theatre scene for over 25 years, and actively works with and supports most of the theatres throughout the region. Follow me @jeffdouglasmess

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Theater review: ‘The Baggage Plays’ at The Magnetic Theatre

  1. Theatre Lover

    Well-done review from Mr. Messer. Tell us what’s happening on stage, and we can form our own opinion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.