By Lynn Venhaus

“Is it now? I thought I had more time.”

A guy, clad in pajama pants and sitting in a wheelchair, utters those words. That’s the start of “Wakey Wakey,” a clever, insightful rumination on the humanity that connects us all.

Written by American playwright Will Eno, this thoughtful 2017 dramatic comedy is the latest uncommon offering from The Midnight Company and is a St. Louis premiere. In the title role of Guy is the company’s founder and artistic director, Joe Hanrahan. He’s charming, disarming and funny as an everyman facing mortality.

Eno’s rhythms ideally fit Hanrahan because it’s like everyday conversation in a natural stand-up routine way. He has performed Eno’s plays “Thom Pain (based on nothing)” twice (a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize), and “Title and Deed” before, so he is familiar with the anxious musings and reflections about the cosmic wonders that intrigue us every time we look up at the sky.

Eno’s written seven plays and known for a quirky writing style – fragmented dialogue and philosophical commentary. As Guy, Hanrahan, looking rumpled with disheveled hair, has come to terms with his final days. He speaks to the audience directly, reading from index cards like he’s addressing the local chamber of commerce.

He starts pondering life, grief and survival, then takes sharp turns into precise off-beat subjects. Hanrahan, with self-deprecating wit, is in a jolly mood sharing space with the audience.

He has slides to show, too. And he’s trying to figure out the remote control for the ‘clicks.’ His befuddlement struck a chord with the audience. It may feel random, but it has a point – and the more esoteric, the more it seemed to connect.

The audio, impeccably designed by director Ellie Schwetye, features snippets of songs and sound bites to fit the visual elements. The projection design is by the skilled Zac Grimm, who won the first-ever St. Louis Theater Circle Award for visual effects design in 2025, for Liz Lewy’s remarkable “Longing.”

At times, “Wakey Wakey” might feel like you’re back in a dorm room, talking about life, existential philosophies and aging. What do we think is worth celebrating and worth treasuring, and will we feel that way when we’re older?

Laced with laughs, the audience gets a kick out of Hanrahan engaging with the audience, breaking the fourth wall. Guy looks like he’s surrounded by boxes, living in a place that’s not his home, but is his final address. Written material indicates it is a hospice situation.

We all know that no one gets out alive, right, so instead of it being sad — Eno enlivens the conversation. Joe’s not alone, either. Rachel Hanks arrives midway through the one-act, as Lisa, saying she is to check on him. She’s a grounded presence, always.

The creative team ensured this was not just a simple ‘monologue,’ but rather a theatrical endeavor that said something, meant something, and we felt connected, starting with Schwetye’s crisp direction. This is her 11^th collaboration with Hanrahan, and they’ve united on memorable productions, including “Tinseltown,” which won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Best New Play. Lighting designer Tony Anselmo superbly enhanced the visual aspect

The key takeaway – which gets patrons talking – is that we don’t value the small things in life until, perhaps, it’s too late. So, celebrate them all: moments of laughter, wonder, joy and each other. The set-up at the Chapel lent itself to the cozy atmosphere, which felt very communal.

When Joe delivered the line: “We need to get better at saying hello,” that spoke to me. But there are many things that spoke to the ‘right here, right now’ of living in 2026.

The Midnight Company presents “Wakey Wakey” from July 16 to Aug. 1 without intermission at The Chapel, Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit www.midnightcompany.com