Seascape

By Edward Albee

Directed by Ronan Marra

Produced by Signal Ensemble Theatre

At Chopin Theatre

1543 W. Division

Chicago, IL

Call 773-347-1350, tickets $10 - $15

Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM

Sundays at 3 PM

Running time 90 minutes with intermission

Through February 18, 2006

Signal Ensemble Theatre’s Seascape richly provocative

Signal Ensemble Theatre, under the leadership of Ronan Marra, have established a fine reputation for mounting excellent shows.  Their production of Edward Albee’s 1975 Pulitzer Prize winning play, Seascape, is another enjoyable show. Seascape is an expressionistic comedy laced with unusual creatures. We meet an aging couple on the brink of retirement sunning themselves on a beach. Nancy (Mary O’Dowd) wants to live the rest of her life with beach hopping around the globe since she has an attraction for being by the water. Charlie (Don Bender) just wants to relax and do nothing. The two debate the meaning of their lives as they approach old age. Nancy wants adventure, Charlie craves contentment. The show is filled with Albee’s ascorbic wit.

Albee has given several marvelous speeches to both characters about the meaning of life as one reflects back to their younger years. Charlie’s description of how he would sink to the bottom of a swimming pool or lake waters slowly and sit on the bottom until his air ran out observing things above as they floated by was insightful. Nancy’s early dreams involved being a woman and doing all the ‘woman’ things. These early scenes had touches of satire, melancholy and light comedy. Mary O’Dowd’s bubbling energy is contagious.

Just when we think the couples have reached some agreement, they are visited by two humanoid lizards who have evolved from the depths of the sea and are no longer content with living under water and now want to relocate to dry land.

 This fantasy turns absurdist as it produces many laughs and insights into fear, prejudice and understanding. Laura M. Dana’s hand-made lizard customs were amazingly real and they fit skin-tight. Add lizard-like movements from Georgann Chatuhas, as the woman lizard, Sarah, in green scales and long tail with lizard-like squatting and quirky head movements. Aaron Snook is the protective, suspicious male lizard, Leslie who hisses when alarmed. Albee never fully explains the lizards.

Could encounters with aliens be similar to this? Are the human couple fantasizing? The interaction is smart, telling and plausible. The hopeful ending is rare for an Albee play. What makes Seascape work is the terrific cast led by Mary O’Dowd and Don Bender with authentic amphibian movements by Snook and Charuhas. The lizards correctly never over-play their roles. Imagine a middle aged human couple engaging in a dialogue about the nature of relationships, emotions and evolution with two lizards. This bizarre show is funny and telling.

This is a peculiar play that delivers a message that needs to be heard in these times of conflict and misunderstanding with those who are different from us. Albee’s comments on retirement will give many theatre patrons something the dwell upon. Another well crafted show from Signal Ensemble Theatre. They get better with each show.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments

Talk Theatre in Chicago Radio show

This shoe eligible for a C.S.T. Non-Equity Award

January 22, 2006

Jeff Recommended