By: Katrina Bruno/Staff Writer
The Department of Theatre started strong this semester with their amusing production of “Swimming in the Shallows,” a quick-moving montage that is sure to entertain students with its relatable and humorous script–which is focused on relationships and friendships– powerful monologues and funky dance intermissions.
“Swimming in the Shallows” opened on Sept. 23 in the Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center, and it will continue its run until Oct. 2.
The show, directed by Wayne E. Robinson Jr., has a relatively small cast — but a lot of talent. Elizabeth Abad lends her acting skills to the production as Barb, Julio Liverpool as Bob, Zakiya Markland as Donna, Carina Skandre as Carla Carla, Joshua Thomas as Nick, and Ewan McLaughlin as Shark.
The setup of the stage was unique, using wave-like flooring, a large stained-glass construction that depicts an aquarium, hanging circular lights that mimic bubbles and a soothing mix of blue-and-white light used to illuminate the features of Theatre’s “Black Box.” From the get-go, you are not really sure whether or not the play will be held below or above water, but you can later draw the conclusion that it is the latter.
The play begins as two friends, Carla Carla and Barb, are discussing their relationships, introspective dilemmas, and above all, their commitment issues.
Barb, recently struck by a midlife crisis, read somewhere that Buddhist monks live their lives with only eight possessions. She tries to adopt this lifestyle by purging nearly all of her tangible items, hoping that this lifestyle change will help her feel “less heavy.” Her husband, Bob, seems sweet and simpleminded, usually forcing his words through a stutter to express himself. By the end of the play, it appears that Bob is one of those deadweights she is hoping to rid herself of.
Though Bob appears to be simpleminded and does not appear on stage as often as the other characters, I did find his confrontations with Barb to be a few of the most pivotal scenes in the production. For example, he throws all of Barb’s possessions in the swimming pool in an attempt to reconcile with his wife, which led to an unexpected finale, and he also has a few key conversations with Barb before he hits the audience with the most wisdom-filled line in the play: “It’s part of life to get attached.”
Nick, young and promiscuous, desires love in some capacity, but cannot seem to keep his pants up on dates, leaving his suitors uninterested for more. During a conversation with his closest friend, Donna, he says, “I don’t know… Marriage — it’s kind of a commitment,” proving that a serious relationship might just be something he will never be mature enough for. Donna makes a deal with Nick that she will stop smoking in order to appease her girlfriend, Carla Carla, but only if he goes out on dates with men Donna sets him up with. The sex-crazed Nick gives in on the first date, but the plan does not work out very well, and a sense of doom falls over Nick’s love life — until he meets the hunky and confident Shark at the aquarium that sweeps him off his feet.
Carla Carla and Donna are at the crossroads of their relationship. Carla Carla is trying to find any excuse to not marry Donna out of fear, and Donna is trying to stop smoking in order to make her girlfriend happy. Their commitment ceremony plans fall through more than once, and the couple is having trouble agreeing on anything while going through the wedding-planning motions.
There were not many props or costume changes, which keeps the viewer focused on the actual content of play and the dialogue between the characters.
Two notable performances were by Carina Skarande as Carla Carla and Joshua Thomas as Nick.
Skarande is one of the most talented actresses I have seen at the college level; she exemplifies raw talent. Her ability to transform her voice to showcase a variety of accents, her unique facial expressions and understanding of her character definitely make her an attention-grabber in the production.
Thomas played Nick excellently. It is almost difficult to see his disappointment in the dating world once you get to know his character. Although he is innocent by no means (sex-crazed, remember?), Thomas gives his character an almost childlike feel as he falls in love with the shark and finds himself walking on eggshells.
“Swimming in the Shallows” focuses more on character development and dialogue over big stage setups and fancy production. This play showcases the talent of the University’s theatre department. And if this is just the theatre department’s warm-up for the year, then students have a lot of great entertainment to look forward to.
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