Buried Child

Sam Shepard’s play, Buried Child, displays a strong statement on the disconnect between families. This disconnect is apparent from the moment the play begins, as Dodge is by himself in the living room, Halie is by herself in her bedroom, and Tilden is by himself in the kitchen. Although they are together, they could not be more apart. They communicate by screaming between the walls, which the actors in the 1996 production capture incredibly well. As an audience member, I could hear the whining nag that Halie’s character possesses, along with the frustration in Dodge’s when his yelling only triggers his cough, which is one of the crucial aspects that gives these characters their stage presence. When Tilden speaks to Dodge towards the beginning, his voice is distant and almost empty, like he doesn’t care what meaning his words carry. Although they are communicating with one another and in the same household, they remain very isolated from each other. Another aspect that was expertly captured in the 1996 production of this show was the closing scene. We see Vince, the “forgotten” family member, transition into the same man who was the center of the attention at the start of the play. When reading the script alone, we can create a visual of what exactly is going on, however it does not come with the same clarity that is brought when watching the production. From wrapping himself up in Dodge’s blanket and wearing his hat, to taking his seat on the sofa as the lights start to dim, he becomes the center of our attention, and also Halie’s, as she resumes the shouting at him from upstairs, out of view. We become aware instantly of how the cycle is just destined to continue starting and ending, over and over again. Through this we are led to believe that Vince will suffer the same fate as his grandfather did and the same disconnect will exist among the family.