We don’t usually think of social workers as having a great deal of power—”overworked” and “underpaid” are often the first words that spring to mind. But in the system known as child protective services, the opinions and observations of these harried civil servants carry more weight than anyone’s in determining whether parents should be separated from their children. The possibilities for mistakes, blind spots, and biases are numerous, the consequences far-reaching and potentially devastating. The thorny dilemmas raised by investing a mortal with the power to decide fates are the subject of Rebecca Gilman’s gripping new play, Luna Gale, now onstage at Goodman Theatre under the efficient direction of Robert Falls (this is the fourth Gilman script he’s staged).
So where does Luna Gale belong: with the drug addicts or the fanatic? For Caroline, the decision isn’t as agonizing as we might expect. For all her religious skepticism, she has a strong faith of her own—a quasi-mystical, strangely unshakeable belief in whatever her gut tells her, based on 25 years of experience, a wary fondness for the underdog, and a little bit of wishful thinking.
Through 2/23: various times Goodman Theatre 170 N. Dearborn 312-444-3800goodmantheatre.org $12.50-$67
