When opening a review of the national tour of August Osage County, one is tempted to use one of many memorable quotes from the show.

August Osage County, the Tony-and Pulitzer Prize-winning deeply dark comedy that originated at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago before transferring to Broadway in 2007, made a stop at The Fabulous Fox Theatre as a part of its current national tour from March 2-14. The more than three-hour play tells the story of the Weston clan, a rag-tag Oklahoma family brought together by the disappearance of its patriarch. As the characters gather under one roof, secrets are revealed and emotions slowly bubble to the surface before exploding into a chorus of primal anger and despair.

Oh … and it’s also hilarious.

It might sound impossible, but playwright Tracy Letts—whose previous work includes the sublimely weird Bug—is a master with language, crafting one of the more impressively entertaining plays to come out in the last decade.

In the pivotal role of the family matriarch, Violet Weston, Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons—who also played the part on Broadway as one of the replacements for original star Deanna Dunagan—brings a batty, at times deranged, quality to the role. This is an operatic, challenging play, and a role like Violet takes a skilled, experienced actress willing to surrender completely to it.

Thankfully, Parsons is—as expected—more than up to the challenge.

The heaviest lifting, however, is left to Shannon Cochran in the role of Barbara, the eldest daughter who returns home with estranged husband and hormonal daughter in tow. Her character is the constant presence throughout the play, and her personal narrative as the play progresses is the most real and emotionally affecting. Cochran is worn down, willing to appear unglamorous and tired, and her performance is all the better for it.

Angelica Torn and Amy Warren play the other two sisters, Ivy and Karen, respectively. Torn, as Ivy, is meek and even more beaten-down than Cochran. In order for the audience to buy certain actions on the character’s part later on in the play, any actress in the part must be willing to appear a little bit pathetic, and Torn surrenders herself to it. Karen, meanwhile, is the more broadly comedic character, daffy and clueless, and Warren carefully avoids making it more cartoonish than necessary, setting her character up for a dramatic reaction near the end of the play that suggests her obliviousness might be a defense mechanism.

Overall, this production of August Osage County is an entertaining, absorbing theatrical experience. The entire ensemble works together admirably, and—despite its long runtime—the play moves quickly. Personally, I could have seen more.

Though it has moved on from The Fox, anyone who missed it should keep their eyes and ears open. This is a play to be experienced for oneself.

The Fox is located at 527 N. Grand Blvd.

For more information about The Fox’s upcoming schedule of shows and concerts, visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Visit www.augustonbroadway.com for more information about the show and its national tour. A film adaptation is in the works.