The Year of Magical Thinking is based on the award-winning book of the same name, taken directly from the true-life horrors of author Joan Didion. I choose the word “horrors” because The Year of Magical Thinking resembles nothing more closely than a hostage situation where the audience sits captive. At the same time, performer Linda Purl acts out chapters of agony from Didion’s book. We are treated to heavy doses of depression without any benefits of such a medicine. At best, it isn’t exciting. At worst, it is painful.