‘Night, Mother at the Pelican Theatre through September 25

Marsha Norman’s provocative 1983 Pulitzer Prize winner for drama has been brought to new life by the Alliance Theatre Lab and local director David Michael Sirois. Jessie does some household chores and prepares to give her mama a manicure when she suddenly and indifferently announces she will kill herself before sunrise. Jessie’s revelation opens up the proverbial can of worms as she relates her tattered, plodding life to her mother and gives a step-by-step description of how she plans to cash in her own chips. The 90-minute play is packed with intensity and emotional volatility as mother and daughter hash out some serious stuff that speaks of responsibility, the mother-daughter relationship, and, ultimately, courage. Expect a disquieting and dramatic climax.