‘How I Learned to Drive’ spotlights the realities of abuse with care

In my 19 years of writing theater reviews, I’ve attended hundreds of plays. I’ve seen the good, the bad, the disturbing and the poignant. Never have I experienced a play that infected my dreams, however, until I saw “How I Learned to Drive” at Riverwalk Theatre. While not exactly the stuff of nightmares for me, it certainly could be for some.

The show, running at Riverwalk Thursday (April 10) through Sunday (April 13), unravels a story of generational sexual abuse through the narrative of its main character, Li’l Bit (Cassie Little). The adult Li’l Bit tells the story of how she was groomed by her Uncle Peck (Steven Neal), bouncing around the 1960s and 1970s to not only detail what he did to her but also to illustrate the lifelong effects of the abuse.

Although the grooming begins years before Li’l Bit begins driving, Uncle Peck has an opening to escalate the abuse by getting her away from the family when he teaches her to drive. Li’l Bit savors the freedom that driving gives her but is clearly conflicted about the role Uncle Peck has in providing that escape.

Playwright Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning script handles this extremely uncomfortable topic with clarity and empathy. Her use of humor not only provides relief from the heaviness of the content but also advances the story. One example is a series of tips Li’l Bit’s mother (Holly Kay-Cannon) gives her about how a lady should drink, which becomes a lesson on how a lady can get sloppy drunk.

Vogel treats Uncle Peck with some level of empathy without endorsing or forgiving his behavior. Further, no one avoids culpability in this cycle of abuse, from the grandfather (Charles Hoogstraten), whose traditional values cause him to discourage independence for his daughter and granddaughter, to Aunt Mary (Anna Hill), whose choices within her marriage might make her an accomplice to Uncle Peck’s abuse.

Little is phenomenal, expertly changing her physicality and facial expressions to portray Li’l Bit at various ages. Her performance is strongest when the 18-year-old Li’l Bit confronts Uncle Peck after moving away to college. Li’l Bit has begun to shed Uncle Peck’s control over her, and in this tense scene, she could either fall back into or break free of the abusive dynamic.

The scene marks a shift in Uncle Peck’s life as well. He employs every emotionally manipulative tactic he’s mastered to try to break down Li’l Bit’s resistance, perhaps even convincing himself that his actions have been honorable in the long run.

Neal is perfectly cast in the role of Uncle Peck, coming across as an innocuous everyman. Uncle Peck is never portrayed as a monster but instead as a calm, supportive, gentle man who manipulates his victims by assuring them that they’re in control and can stop things at any time. This makes his behavior all the more insidious because he’s created unbalanced relationships in which his victims want to please him, of course.

I commend Riverwalk for its efforts to prepare audiences for and support them through this difficult work. In addition to its multiple methods of publicizing the trigger warnings, the theater also has support services available in the lobby, provided by Children Trust Michigan, Child and Family Charities, CASA for Kids Inc. and Small Talk Children’s Advocacy Center.

“How I Learned to Drive” isn’t a fun night at the theater, but for those who can handle the subject matter, it’s a must-see. Director Diane Cooke and her cast and crew have done a magnificent job bringing this important work — and the conversations it will spur — to Lansing-area audiences.