‘The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao’ Is Hilarious And Heartbreaking
A Dominican story of love and resilience, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, about a nerdy, eccentric college student trying to navigate relationships, will have you laughing and reaching for the tissues.
I am a little embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of the book The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot DÃaz before being told about this production. Having won both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2008, among other accolades, this is a story that should be shared widely, and I am thankful for the chance to know it now. You will be too.
The new production of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao at the Goodman Theatre centers on Oscar, a college freshman moving into the dorm for the first time. His mother, who has cancer, could not be happier that both of her children will now be away at school, and Oscar’s sister Lola can now look after him on campus. Oscar is unique, speaking in flowery language, misunderstanding social cues, and having a history of depression in reference to romance. He also believes that there is a malignant curse, or a fukú, on him and his Dominican family.
With a majority-Dominican cast, Dominican playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez, and Dominican director Wendy Mateo, this piece is, in many ways, a love letter to the Dominican people and culture. It is an opportunity for Oscar’s story to be told with all of the light, music, and traditions peeking out around him.
This is a very funny show with lots of personalities. For example, Oscar’s roommate, Yunior, is a bro, lifting weights, wearing a Scarface T-shirt, and moving with cocky swagger. He isn’t all that taken with the peculiar Oscar at first, but Oscar grows on him, and Yunior tries to teach him all the ways to get a girl interested.
One rawer throughline is that being Dominican means many things, including identifying with both lighter and darker skin. Oscar’s mother glorifies the “beautiful, white alabaster skin” of a woman in a painting, while Oscar’s sister identifies with her African side, wearing Afro-centric clothing and a curly fauxhawk.
All of the characters in the show speak like you or I do, but not Oscar. Oscar says things like, “Do not worry yourself, mother of mine. It is clear love shall never be an occurrence for a thing such as I.” He is a lover of Doctor Who, The Lord Of The Rings, and Dungeons and Dragons, and all he wants is for the object of his affections to fall in love with him. But he struggles with his mental health, and visually, the production lays it out in terms that we can all understand.
The ensemble is wonderful; a cohesive group who have clearly built a community on stage and likely off. It is palpable in how they interact with each other, and it adds to the energy of each scene.
While this is very much a character-driven piece with minimal sets, the production features spectacular comic-book-like projections displayed on the set’s walls. You see hearts when Oscar is in love, words when Oscar is writing or thinking, various designs to help describe what is happening, and large sun-like shapes when Oscar can sense the fukú. Seemingly simple, but very effective.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a production full of heart that tackles generational trauma, finding your bravery, and living as your own kind of superhero. You will find the humor and the pain in Oscar’s story, but more than anything, you’ll see him.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao runs for approximately 2 hours 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. It is recommended for ages 14 and up.
Goodman Theatre: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Chicago Review – The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is playing at The Goodman Theatre through 4/12/26. Tickets can be purchased on the Goodman Theatre website or by calling (312) 443-3800. Goodman Theatre is located at 170 North Dearborn in Chicago.