The Minnesota premiere of Home, I’m Darling, an Olivier Award-winning comedy by Laura Wade that pulls back the gingham curtains on one couple’s seemingly perfect life, opens tonight at the NorShor Theatre in Downtown Duluth.
The house is immaculate, the martinis are chilled, and Judy’s dress is freshly pressed – just in time to greet Johnny at the door with a smile. Life in their 1950s dream home is sweet, stylish, and carefully curated. There’s just one catch – it’s not the 1950s.
As Judy and Johnny devote themselves to a lifestyle straight out of a vintage magazine – complete with deviled eggs, mid-century furniture, and picturesque domestic bliss the cracks begin to show. This delightful yet dark comedy will have audiences laughing while reflecting on the complexities of relationships and the risks of longing for a bygone era in the modern world.
“Home, I’m Darling does a wonderful job of asking its audience to still be engaged in these characters’ lives even after the curtain call – which I find incredibly compelling,” said director Mary Fox. “I believe this show opens up a lifeline – or a portal, a reminder if you will – on how to reconnect, what it means to feel human, and how to rediscover love and self-worth. It’s about identity, happiness, and the drastic choices we make to feel whole. How far would you go for happiness?”
Jess Hughes, recently seen on the NorShor stage as Madame in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, will bring sharp comedic timing and emotional depth to the role of Judy. Her husband Johnny is played by Sean Naughton, who also happens to be Hughes’s husband offstage, bringing an added layer of intimacy and complexity to this sharply drawn portrait of a marriage under pressure.
They’re joined by an ensemble of Duluth favorites, including Alyson Enderle as Fran, Zachary Stofer as Marcus, Olivia Nelson as Alex, and Julie Ahasay as Sylvia.
Wade’s play brilliantly captures the tension between personal choice and societal expectation, asking audiences to consider what we gain – and what we lose – when we try to live in a world that no longer exists.
