Kathryn Grody, 78, makes an art out of aging well with ‘The Unexpected 3rd’

“Onward! Next!” says the fearless aging heroine.

“Onward to what?” her skeptical friend asks.

This dichotomy of hope and reality is the heart of Kathryn Grody’s one-woman comedy The Unexpected 3rd, directed by Timothy Near, now playing at People’s Light Theatre.

Sharing her view of the title’s unanticipated later life, Grody captivates us with conversational energy and truth. Her tales of youthful rebellion, midlife road-bumps, and quirks of aging allow us to laugh with her in communal healing, and reflect on our own journeys. Each amusing anecdote is authentic and immediate.

So, too, are the occasional moments of loss she retells. Yet these also demonstrate a resilient newfound wisdom. She encourages us to “inhale the presence” of those we lose, to ensure that children remember the laughter of their parents, as with her deceased mother happily reminding her, “I’m here Kathy.”

At 78, the actress makes impressive use of physical comedy, occasionally dancing, singing, or doing whimsical pushups. Playing on the floor with her grandson, she panics — challenged to rise without endangering them both.

The play ignores structure. This works to Grody’s advantage. Nina Ball’s ingenious set design reflects how Grody’s mind works — and sometimes doesn’t — with a distressed upstage wall, grayed-out and spattered with images and graffiti: “What Not to Keep?,” “Who’s in Charge of Time?,” “WTF?,” and others.

Cat Starmer’s lighting shifts to mirror Grody’s emotional landscape.

Piles of pages scattered around the stage serve a triple purpose: the occasional prop keeping her on-script (memory loss humor), the countless, discarded drafts of her biography (“I’ve never done the same version twice.”), and a clever scenic motif of pulling the next page out of a wall or what appeared to be a two-dimensional drawer.

An Obie-winner and Drama Desk nominee, Grody has enjoyed a successful career. But she frankly describes its movement in the shadow of her husband, Tony Award-winner Mandy Patinkin. Her reflections on their marriage touch on successes and scars, her experiences as a mom, and their differing views of the relationship.

“Mine are correct,” she insists.

The show is not political but alludes to challenges for those aging in today’s world. Grody pines for when her dad thought that nothing could be worse than Goldwater. She bemoans school shootings, 2 year-olds with iPads, and cashiers’ indecipherable gender. She is astounded to feel that she owes Liz Cheney a thank you note. During COVID, she realizes, “We are not a species meant for isolation,” and proclaims her preference for vaccination over drinking bleach.

She awakens at 50 despairing, “It can’t all be like this.” But she rebounds and encourages us to embrace “respair” instead. At times her self-confidence buckles: “I am a unique human being! (pause) I’m so full of s—.”

But overall, her message is undeniably one of joy. She declares, “We are lucky to be so many people in one lifetime.”

In a concluding moment, Grody cites a prehistoric handprint on the wall of a French cave. To her it sends a message — “I was here. I mattered. See me. See us.”

Grody’s play reframes meaning in life. Through humor, honesty, and self-deprecation, she shows that reimagining our future and adjusting are better paths than a fear of growing old.

It is inspiring. It is entertaining. It is a gift of laughter, renewed hope, and an appreciation for the art of aging well.

(Community/Arts)

A gift of a play from Kathryn Grody who, in this one-woman show, talks of life, memories, a career, negotiating with time, and learning the art of aging well.

⌚️ Through Oct. 26,📍 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern 🌐 peopleslight.org

Theater reviews are produced independently by The Inquirer without editorial input by their sponsor, Visit Philadelphia.

The review has been updated to include the name of the production’s director.