Pasadena Playhouse presents “The Visit”

What is justice? Is it following the dictates of law? Everyone knows that the law works differently for different parts of society, and that some laws may be legal but are in no way just. Is it the old “eye for an eye” Old Testament rule of justified vengeance? That tends to cause feuds and wars that can go on and on, an ever-growing whirlpool of blood. Is it simply subjective, and if so, how can that work on a societal level? Playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt explored this conundrum in his 1956 play, The Visit, which is currently receiving an excellent production at Pasadena Playhouse that is both scathingly dark and very funny.

Post World War Two, the small Swiss town of Güllen (which translates to “liquid manure” in German) is not faring well. Its industries have gone out of business, and everyone is barely scraping by. But the impending visit of very wealthy Claire (Melinda Page Hamilton), who grew up in the town, has the entire populace hoping she’ll save them. Burgomeister (John Lavelle) is putting his faith in Anton (Jefferson Mays), who used to be in a romantic relationship with Claire in his youth. Claire is indeed interested in seeing Anton again and proves willing to be the financial savior of Güllen, but for a price that the people may not be willing to pay.

Hamilton does strong work as Claire, expertly balancing the character’s humor and underlying rage. Mostly Claire seems bemused and in control, having servants carry her about in a sedan chair (reminding me of some outré Amy Sedaris role), but she switches on the freeze whenever she needs to remind anyone who’s in control. “The world turned me into a whore,” she explains, “so I turned the world into a brothel.” Mays excels as the initially affable Anton, secure with his place in the world, until things change and he has come to grips with that. Mays makes Anton’s evolution credible and compelling. Finally, Lavelle is a blast of delightful comedic energy as the excitable Burgomeister.

Director Darko Tresnjak injects plenty of theatrical vitality into this seventy-year-old play, keeping the pacing swift and staging lively. His use of disco music between scenes is an unexpected surprise, and playing “Ode to Joy” in the concluding scene is a perfectly judged over-the-top moment. Placing Claire on a balcony watching over sinister proceedings is a quietly effective choice, and the red light filling the stage during a final sequence effectively makes it into a place of satanic sacrifice. Alexander Dodge’s scenic design is wizardly in its creative uses of the stage space, and Charlotte Devaux’s costume design is bright and colorful in a way that adds a lot to the show.

I appreciate that the Pasadena Playhouse has not only given a big production to a play that is almost never staged anymore, but also that they’ve done a terrific job with it. The Visit is thought-provoking and enjoyable theater.

The Visit is presented by and at Pasadena Playhouse through October 4, 2026.

Tickets are available at https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/