By Amanda Marvel
Laughs, intrigue, and serious contemplation—Tracy Letts’ The Minutes offers it all.
The Minutes Production (Amanda Marvel)
Directed by Vana Trudeau, the play invites audiences into a private meeting of the Big Cherry City Council. As the council works through their agenda, newcomer Mr. Peel (played by T. Murphy) starts asking questions the council would rather avoid. Why is a council member missing? Where are last week’s minutes? And what is the real history of this town? These mysteries drive the story forward with gripping intrigue.
The opening act introduces a cast of eccentric characters, each with their own quirks and hilarious banter. Among the highlights is Mr. Oldfield (Robert O’Connor), a long-serving council member whose obsession with parking lot issues matches his name perfectly. His complaints—and the council’s exasperation—provide laugh-out-loud moments.
But the tone shifts when Mr. Peel challenges the council’s version of Big Cherry’s history. In response, the council stages a rehearsed reenactment of their town’s founding—a clever “play within a play” that is both funny and well-acted. The cast gives it their all, making this sequence a standout moment of the production.
As the story progresses, the veneer of Big Cherry’s idyllic past cracks, revealing a darker truth rooted in racism, colonization, and genocide. A second flashback lays bare the town’s troubling history, forcing Mr. Peel to confront his own moral compass.
Mayor Superba (Joseph O’Connor) pressures Mr. Peel to let the past stay buried, dangling the promise of a comfortable future—or a not-so-comfortable one—if he complies. The council uses intimidation as their weapon of choice, leaving Mr. Peel to wrestle with his decision: Will he expose the truth or become complicit in covering it up?
The play ends on an ambiguous note, leaving the audience with questions: What choice does Mr. Peel make? What really happened to Mr. Carp (Grace Michel)? And what exactly just unfolded in that final scene?
The Minutes is a thought-provoking production that challenges viewers to reflect on history and its implications. The cast’s hard work shines throughout, with standout performances from T. Murphy as Mr. Peel and Joseph O’Connor as the menacing Mayor Superba.
This is a must-see show that will keep audiences laughing, questioning, and contemplating long after the final curtain. The Minutes runs through Nov. 23. There is a Saturday matinee at 2 pm or an evening show at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door at the Tilden Arts Center, building one first floor, or by going online to the Tilden arts Center website.
