Review: ‘Dad’s Leg’ at Hudson MainStage Theatre
- Dondre Tuck
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Written and directed by Zach Shields, “Dad’s Leg” is a dark comedy that follows two sisters with a strained relationship who reunite in their father’s hospital room. What begins as an attempt to reconnect slowly unravels as tensions rise over what should happen to their father’s leg after it is amputated. The disagreement exposes wounds in their relationship that haven’t been resolved and forces both sisters to confront trauma within their family.
The comedy is more situational than traditional punchlines. Most of the laughs come from the tension between the sisters and the absurdity of their situation. As they respond to their father’s impending amputation in completely different ways, the play also explores the tension between faith and pragmatism.
From left Rain Spencer (Connie), Ted Monte (Dad) and Emily Althaus (Brianna) in "Dad's Leg" at Hudson MainStage Theatre (Photos by Austin Cieszko)
Connie (Rain Spencer) leans into her religion, searching for meaning through her belief in Christ, while Brianna (Emily Althaus) approaches the situation more practically, focusing on what is realistic and resisting spiritual explanations.
What makes their conflict compelling is the larger question it raises about how people process hardship. Is it healthier to believe suffering has a deeper purpose, or is it better to face reality with a more realistic mindset? The play suggests that both perspectives hold value, presenting each sister’s response as a different way of coping with grief, trauma and the possibility that healing within the family might still be possible.
The performances are grounded, lighthearted and entertaining. Spencer and Althaus make the sisters’ chemistry and dysfunction palpable. Connie is more high-strung while Brianna is more stoic and grounded, their contrast creating a dynamic that allows the actors to effectively play off each other.
One resonant moment has the sisters sit at the foot of their unconscious father’s hospital bed retelling silly stories from their past, creating a sense of familiarity and warmth. They talk around Dad (Ted Monte) but never really include him.
Once Dad surprisingly wakes up, though, his presence begins to reveal some of the family's dysfunction, and the audience is able to get a clearer picture of how his behavior and personality shaped the sisters’ dynamic.
Set designer KC McGeorge’s hospital room is detailed and realistic. Walls are a soft peach, and medical equipment surrounds the bed at center stage, with a sink, cabinet, dresser, lamp and flowers creating a sense of personal space within the medical environment. Blue curtains cover a window at the back, and overhead lighting creates a clinical yet intimate atmosphere in the room.
Lighting designer Brandon Baruch further elevates the production through thoughtful effects, such as a shift after Dad takes a shot from a liquor bottle that Connie gives him, trying to use his vice to bribe answers out of him. And a lighting transition from hot pink to royal purple to deep blue feels magical, symbolically and emotionally transforming the atmosphere of the room to become dreamlike and reflective.
Shields’ vision as writer and director is clearly felt throughout the production, from pacing to staging to technical choices. An especially creative element is how scenes are periodically interrupted by a voice from the hospital intercom, which sometimes breaks the escalating tension between the sisters and allows them to reset.
And also when Dad’s bed gets raised until it is fully vertical, which is both unexpected and surreal in the otherwise realistic hospital setting, helping the audience see the father’s point of view of his amputation while adding a new physical dimension to the stage.
The audience remained engaged and receptive throughout a recent performance. And the play left me reflecting on how I navigate trauma in my own life. “Dad’s Leg” feels like a contemporary work that many theatergoers can connect with — its creative technical elements combined with honest performances make for a compelling theatrical experience.
“Dad’s Leg” performed Feb. 20 through March 8 in an extended run at the Hudson MainStage Theatre, 6239 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.
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