I do not believe that it is possible to sit in the audience at a performance of "Dry Land" and not squirm and feel physical discomfort in empathizing with the emotional and physical agony that is being portrayed on the stage. Simply put, this is a play that is deeply thought-provoking and profoundly gut-wrenching.
The subject matter is DIY abortion, as attempted by an adolescent swimmer who find herself pregnant, and her boyfriend has "moved on." Amy (Stephanie Recio) enlists another swimmer,Ester (Eva Hughes) to keep punching her in the stomach to try to induce a miscarriage of the lemon-sized fetus she is carrying. She and Ester have not been close friends until they find themselves entangled in this complex and fluid relationship. Amy has a close friend, the vacuous Reba (Alex Lonati) who is part of the swim team, but who is much too self-absorbed to have been a suitable candidate to help Amy in her time of need.
Playwright Ruby Rae Spiegel has dipped into her pool of personal experience to paint these characters in living color. She herself was a swimmer. With the help of a very realistic locker room set designed by Courtney Nelson and Sound Design by Andrew Duncan Will, we can almost smell the chlorine wafting from the adjacent pool. Costumes are by Miranda Kau Giurleo and Lighting by Daisy Long.
Director Steven Bogart draws from Ms. Recio and Ms. Hughes deeply nuanced performances that make this production compelling theater. The playwright has penned a script that is unblinking in presenting the messy complications of teen pregnancy and DIY abortion. The scene in which Amy miscarries her baby is graphic in its violence and level of pathos. Clearly it is part of the agenda of Ms. Spiegel to prompt an in-depth conversation about the issues covered in her play. And Company One is partnering in the advancement of that mission by bringing in groups like Planned Parenthood to join in the dialogue among audience members, cast members and the wider community.
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| Stephanie Recio as Amy Eva Hughes as Ester "Dry Land" Company One Through October 30th Photo by Paul Fox |
The cast also includes the excellent Kadahj Bennet as Victor, a college freshman and recent grad from the school that Ester and Amy attended. He welcomes Ester as she visits the college, hoping to win an athletic scholarship. Victor's knowledge of Amy's history adds exposition to our understanding of Amy's turmoil, and adds layers of complication to the already convoluted and ambivalent relationship that is developing between Amy and Ester.
Other members of the ensemble include Paul Trainor, Sophia Koevary, Ashley Wisneski and Karoline Xu.
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| Kadahj Bennett as Victor Eva Hughes as Ester "Dry Land" Company One Through October 30th Photo by Paul Fox |
In addition to tackling the issue of abortion, the playwright is also asking us to consider the complexities of female friendship, identity, dating, interracial friendships, and the multi-layered challenges of being a female athlete.
I encourage you to attend this important play and to join the ongoing conversation. "Dry Land" will run through October 30 at the Boston Center of the Arts.
Company One Website
Enjoy!
Al
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