Review: 'When We Were Young and Unafraid' a Provocative Look at Tough Questions Then and Now

The issues of feminism, domestic violence, and abortion are explored in the provocative drama "When We Were Young and Unafraid" at Providence's Barker Playhouse.

In 1972 on an island in Washington State, Agnes (Mary Paolino) operates a home where battered women can take refuge. She is an iron-willed woman with a loving heart.

Agnes' teenage daughter Penny (Rosalynde Trammell) is desperately insecure and rebellious. Penny resists wearing dresses and becomes infatuated with the captain of the football team.

Mary Anne (Julia Curtin) shows up one day with a black eye. She is a deeply troubled woman with many secrets. Agnes gives her a room in the house and offers solace. Before long, Mary Anne is calling her abusive husband, who she still loves.

Lydia Johnson's Hannah is a brash and outspoken lesbian searching for emotional fulfillment. She is also an ardent feminist and is handy at repairing things.

One of the best scenes features a late-night conversation Mary Anne has with Penny. We see an adult woman serving as a mentor, giving Penny valuable insight into the male psyche. Mary Anne draws from her life experience in an attempt to save Penny from going down the same dark path.

Mary Anne has a flirtation with music teacher Paul (well-played by Mark Roberts), a tenant of Agnes'. Paul is a good-natured guy escaping from an unhappy marriage. He is attracted to Mary Anne, but is baffled by her passive aggressive tendencies.

Morgan Salpietro, making her directing debut, displays a deft touch with pacing and generates strong work from the ensemble.

Curtin ("The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley") is truly spellbinding as a woman trying to recover from unimaginable trauma. It's a demanding role, but Curtin brilliantly pulls it off, conveying Mary Anne's fear, insecurity, and self-loathing.

Paolino, a veteran of many stage productions, is in top form here. Agnes has made tremendous sacrifices in order to help other women. She cares deeply for Penny, and wants the girl to make the right choices in life. It's a wonderfully textured portrayal.

Trammell, making her debut at Barker, is sympathetic and engaging as Penny struggles in her adolescence.

Johnson is especially good in her scenes with Paolino, as Hannah reveals a softer side to her personality.

Playwright Sarah Treem ("Empty Sky") depicts a period in our history when spousal abuse was kept hidden. In the early 1970s, there was a lack of resources for battered women. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. (I should note there have been plenty of stories of abuse among same-sex couples as well.)

Abortion was illegal until the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision by the United States Supreme Court allowed women the freedom to terminate their pregnancies in a safe environment. Without providing spoilers, this issue has made a huge impact on the lives of these women, especially Agnes. She made a choice, and has had to live with the consequences of that choice.

But above all else, the play makes you question how anyone could remain in love with an abuser. Domestic violence affects all of us. This is a problem we need to acknowledge and deal with as a country.

"When We Were Young and Unafraid" runs through March 24. The Players at Barker Playhouse. 400 Benefit St. Providence, RI. For tickets, call 401-273-0590 or visit https://www.playersri.org.