Saw this again on Sunday. I liked the play even less this time around than the first time. Frankly, as much as I love Julie White, I didn't believe a word she was saying, nor do I think she did herself. Without the raw desperation and moral conviction Metcalf brought to the role in spades, the whole play kind of falls apart. That being said, the actual text works the best for me in the interpersonal moments between characters and not the ideas they represent. That's why Jayne Houdyshell is ultimately the MVP of this production. Her scenes with Nora keep the whole piece grounded, in my opinion, and the other scenes where we're bombarded with moralizing and lecturing just kind of sit there.
Personally, I would've loved if this idea had the luxury of two acts to stretch its legs a bit. Preferably with more conflict and less tidiness. For all the mess we're witness to, each scene very cleanly transitions to the next, right up to the final moments. There is something to be said for keeping plays trim and giving us just the meat, but sometimes I feel that - in pursuit of brevity - a lot of contemporary playwrights lose what could be the beating heart. That feels very much the case in terms of Lucas Hnath's work here.
Long story short: Julie White is good and I will continue to see any and every performance she gives, but Laurie Metcalf was truly singular in this role and likely will never be matched.