The Body I Left in Susquehanna National Forest ★★★★★

Life can crash apart in an instant. One moment, you’re a giddy newlywed couple blissfully driving to your Niagara Falls honeymoon. The next, you are dealing with a dead body on the side of the road. That’s the fate of one very unlucky couple in The Body I Left in Susquehanna National Forest, a funny and probing new play from Tom Quackenbush, a Chicago-based playwright who is making his Fringe debut.

Beyond the mystery of the deceased person’s identity, this dramedy quickly delves into the brutal dynamics of romantic partnerships. The body presents a way-too-early test for this brand-new marriage. Patrick, played with convincing intensity by Joey D’Amore, delusionally insists over and over again that he hit a deer and not a human being with the car. His solution? Hit and run.

But his wife Claire (an equally passionate August Kiss Fegley) is having none of that. “We can’t just run away from this,” she screams.

Meanwhile, the body (who we later learn is named Megan) has a few things to say. Kit Colacito kills it with their performance, conveying sarcasm, wit and emotion without ever moving their physical body. (The other actors sometimes athletically move Megan around the stage.)

During the couple’s increasingly heated disagreement, Megan appeals to Claire and torments Patrick, driving a growing wedge between them. When Patrick goes back to check on the car’s damage, Megan says, “Claire, he killed me. He’s a murderer.” And when Megan is alone with Patrick, she says, “You know [Claire] hates you, right? You’re a murderer now. You killed a person.”

As the story unfolds, the couple reaches a mighty impasse over what to do next. Insults are exchanged. Mansplaining occurs. Things get physical. Claire starts to question: Did I marry the right person?

Director Katie Kunkel keeps things moving at a rapid pace, which adds to the sense of anxiety and foreboding. Throughout the play, audiences will likely find themselves wondering: How will this end? Will we learn more about Megan, the body? Can Claire and Patrick possibly survive as a couple? The story’s startling conclusion provides answers, but also leaves many lingering questions. That’s the mark of an excellent play.

A special shout-out to Fegley, who not only masterfully plays Claire but is also a co-founder of the producing group Ur Mean Kathleen, along with director Kunkel. Fegley is listed as the designer for the set, props, costumes and sound.

(And a very minor quibble for the playwright: Susquehanna is a New York state, not a national park. Maybe Quackenbush changed the name deliberately? For what it’s worth, N.Y. residents and geography nerds are likely to be puzzled.)

This production was reviewed in preview ahead of the Fringe at The Tank