The Pushover

The Pushover
Chain Theatre
April 10, 2026 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

John Patick Shanley’s new play, The Pushover, is intriguing and mysterious.  Burning passion fuels the action, while lust leads to bad decisions.  Or is it the other way around?  The characters struggle to find their way out from under each other’s control, only to run back when they are in need.  Director Kirk Gostkowski guides this small cast of highly skilled actors to dig deep and find the driving impulse that invigorates their character. 

Pearl (played by Di Zhu) is in the first session with her new therapist (played by Christopher Sutton).  She wears white gloves and just came from church.  She is tight with anxiety.  She admits that she is gay, attracted to strong women, and not sure if this new therapist is right for her.  He does get her to take her gloves off and tell him about Evelyn and Soochi. 

The action moves back in time to when Pearl sent Soochi (played by Christina Toth) to a resident resort in New Mexico to deliver a package to Evelyn (played by Rebecca De Mornay).  Evelyn tells Soochi she was excepting her.  Pearl previously contacted Evelyn to tell her that Soochi stole from her.  In the package is a wedding ring that Evelyn gave Pearl with instructions to return it to her if she is ever in need of terminating a relationship.  Evelyn knows what needs to be done, but instead of making Soochi disappear, she puts her to work to earn back the money she stole from Pearl.  When Evelyn visits Pearl to deliver the money, the three women confront one another with their expectations and the hard truth.   

Christopher Sutton, Di Zhu, Rebecca De Morney, & Christina Toth
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Each of the characters have quirks that spark interest.  Pearl is intense and dark.  Evelyn is controlling and self-serving.  Soochi is neurotic and manipulative.  These three actors portray these qualities from their core.  Christina Toth’s Soochi gets more self-destructive as the action progresses.  She is brought to that point by Evelyn’s domination, which Rebecca De Mornay cunningly underplays.  Pearl goes back and forth from victim to persecutor, and Di Zhu plays these shifts with skillful ease.  She is the pushover, constantly being taken advantage of.  She has reached her breaking point; however, it is Evelyn who has the final compelling moment.  It is unexpected, and Rebecca Du Mornay makes it genuine. 

Scenic design by Jackson Berkley makes the Chain Theatre stage feel expansive.  His unit set transforms to different locations with quick changes of furniture.

Chain Theatre continues to build a strong reputation for high quality work with the world premiere of this new John Patrick Shanley play.  It is excellently produced.  

The Pushover has been extended at Chain Theatre through May 2. 

Domenick Danza