The setting is a cemetery, where we meet two strangers. He’s a kooky, grey-haired gardener with broken eyeglasses, held together with duct tape. She’s a prim middle-aged professional, outwardly cool, yet a bit high strung.

Him: “What do you do for a living, Monique?”

Her: “I sell real estate.” 

Him: “That doesn’t sound like a very dangerous job.”

Her: “You’ve obviously never tried selling real estate.”

(Laughter)

That line that could trigger laughs or tears, given the foreclosure scene. And soon, this play, which opens like an oddball comedy, goes four-wheeling into darker territory. 

Him: “Ask me a question, anything you like.”

Her: “Anything?”

Him: “You bet. Come on. Try me.”

Her: “What’s the worst thing you ever did in your life.”

Him: “Boy! You don’t start with the small stuff.”

It turns out each of these characters has a painful backstory, with issues including alcohol and abandonment, and that’s just the letter A. Playwright Richard Broadhurst, who’s worked as an educator with prison inmates, writes about serious mistakes and second chances, leading to a metaphysical conclusion that’s best left as a surprise. So keep your wits about you -- this play is a shape-shifter that defies easy description. The best way to approach it is to sit back and enjoy the ride.

"Resting Place" continues at the Sacramento Theatre Company through March 16th.