“Dolores”: The Sister Act Is Back, And Opposites Still Don’t Attract.

The high octane feud between social media influencers Alix Earle (a Tom Brady-ex) and Alex “Call Her Daddy” Cooper has nothing on the two feuding sisters Dolores and Sandra in a new limited run Off Broadway revival of the dark comedy “Delores.”

The play by Edward Allan Baker takes place over the course of a Sunday afternoon in Providence, Rhode Island. Sandra (Sinead Hogan), who is married with children, is reluctant to once again rescue her older sister, Dolores (Coralie Bradnam), who has escaped her abusive husband.

On the surface, the lives of the working-class siblings have taken very different directions, but as the day wears on, what began as a quest for comfort turns into a confrontation over shared trauma, buried memories, and the secrets and lies it takes to keep a family together.

Hogan, who is known for the critically acclaimed “Rushed” (2022) and will next appear in the upcoming “Into The Black” as well as “Mother’s Last Day,” says, “There’s a quote in the play, ‘Whenever I help you, it turns into a horror show.’ These women have pretty tough lives, and this is a tougher day than usual. But something that I clicked with was their humor. Anyone who’s gone through anything knows that the best way to get through it is with humor. I understood their way of coping.”

Bradnam, who is completing the two-year Conservatory at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, with credits including “Big” and the upcoming “Who Do You Call,” says of her titular role, “Dolores has nowhere else to go. There’s a lot going on internally. Dolores is trying to get Sandra to take pity, and then, at the flip of a switch, she just breaks out in anger. As the play develops, everyone understands that even though Dolores is trying these different tactics to stay in Sandra’s house, she’s completely vulnerable.”

Since its first hit the stage in the mid-1980s “Dolores” has been translated into five languages and produced around the world. The current iteration of the dark comedy that explores cycles of abuse and how the past continues to shape the present is directed by Matthew Danger Lippman, who is also a musician and actor, soon to be seen in the upcoming features Frogs and Farewell Island.

“I directed something recently that was a big old ensemble,” says Lippman, “so the idea of doing a two-character, one-act was a major switch-up. It’s been a very exciting opportunity.”

And a challenging one. “It’s a small space, and very contained. There’s only so much movement that can happen. And specifically for Coralie as Dolores, not to move; there is a lot of power in just staying in the same place for a while. Also, the big thing is just making this stage look like a little dingy ‘80s New York apartment.”

As well as starring in the show, Hogan and Bradnam are also producing in collaboration with Red Door Productions’ Ana Radice-Morras and Violet Levinson. Says Bradnam, “[Red Door] reached out to us to ask if they could help. They showed us the ropes, sharing their wisdom.”

And with good reason. The production company is a devotee of the late playwright and produced his work as part of their repertoire. Says Radice-Morras, “There’s a truth and rawness to Baker’s world that we find irresistible. He writes people who feel utterly real, in situations that are almost unbearable to watch. He digs deeply into the complexities of family, into lives shaped by hardship and survival; people for whom struggle isn’t an episode, it’s life. His characters stay with you.”

She and Levinson (two of the five partners in Red Door) also wanted to help showcase the talents of their fellow Strasberg peers. “Sinead and Coralie share such a close friendship in real life, which translates perfectly into their portrayal of sisters. They’ve created a real sense of history and have such comfortability with one another on stage, something essential to the intricate relationship of sisterhood,” says Levinson. “On top of that, their Rhode Island accents are impressively spot-on, which is no easy feat. We’re incredibly excited to see what they bring on opening night under the direction of the talented Matthew Danger Lippman.”

Despite being written four decades ago, the show’s relevance is undeniable. “What I love about the play is that it’s funny and it’s sad and it’s uncomfortable,” says Lippman. “Talking about family, addiction, and relationships. They’re all just very timeless subjects.” Adds Hogan: “Awful things happen. This play is a raw portrait of a tough life.” One that many are currently living and can relate to.

On a positive note, Bradnam summed up why audiences will leave the theater feeling simpatico with not only “Dolores” the play, but the character: “Dolores is a mess, but I find her so empowering. She’s been married three times, but she keeps trying. She gets up and keeps going. She wants to make it work so badly. Everyone can relate to wanting to make something out of yourself.”

“DOLORES” tickets are $25 and available at https://tickets.frigid.nyc/event/6897:1428/ Under St. Marks Theater 94 St Marks Place. Tuesday May 12th & Thursday May 14th at 7 p.m. / Friday May 15th at 4:30 p.m.

Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novel “The Last Single Woman In New York City.”