My overall impression
In Rachel Axler’s Smudge, eager parents Colby and Nick’s expectations are dashed when their baby is born deformed – limbless, one-eyed, purple/gray skin. Not quite a baby. Closer to a smudge. Some might even say inhuman. Would you?
While Nick (Jesse G. Louis) is immediately taken by his daughter – lumps and all, Colby (Whitney Wellner) has a much harder time tapping into her maternal instincts. Her resentment of the smudge is palpable. A lesser play would have made Colby a villain and Nick a saint, however Smudge digs deeper. The play adequately gives Colby a point of view that can be understood if not entirely sympathized with. Nick’s response, too, is shown to be lacking as it becomes clear that each parent is missing a piece of the truth: Colby refuses to accept what she has while Nick refuses to mourn what he’s lost.
The play takes a bit too much time setting up the story and reaching its conclusion….
Please read the rest of the review at Cinesnatch
