Don’t let the name fool you. While it may make the reader take a second look, the story is heartwarming and will make you feel many things, including good. Habersham Community Theater’s latest production, Failure: A Love Story, is one you will not want to miss.
The directors of Jeremy Bishop and Lindsey Brackett spin the tale of three sisters (Nelly, Jenny June, and Gertie) in the Fail family — formerly the Failbottoms. Immigrating from an unnamed homeland around the turn of the 20th century, their name is chopped down to Fail upon their arrival at Ellis Island. The family settles on the banks of the Chicago River, where Henry and Marietta, the parents, open the Fail Clock Shop.
As the sisters grow older, they come to work in the clock shop, where they meet a suitor, Mortimer Mortimer (a family name, he claims). He, at different times, falls for all three of the sisters.
The 19-member cast of the Habersham Community Theater weaves the narrative, inviting the audience to laughter, tears, and thought-provoking moments about the fragility of life and the courage to carry on. There is an intertwining theme of continuing in life even when things seem to have ended. It is a moving tale of loss but also strength and resilience.
Opening night is Thursday, January 30, at 7:30 p.m. The production will run through the weekend with showtimes of Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1, at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday, February 2 matinee at 2 p.m. The second weekend has a similar set-up of showtimes: February 6, 7, and 8 at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday, February 9 matinee at 2 p.m.
There are still tickets available, although they are going fast. The show is recommended for ages 10 and up. Tickets are available for sale online.
