“Seascape” at 2nd Story

By Richard Pacheco

            Edward Albee who just died in September 2016 was one of America’s greatest playwrights and this play shows off Albee at his best with deft dialogue a balance between probing sincerity and absurdist flair. The play captured the 1975  Pulitzer Prize in drama. It covers familiar ground for Albee, that of interpersonal relationships and communication.

            In “Seascape” Albee probes the changes and challenges that face us in life. Charlie and Nancy face their retirement with some trepidation and concern. They have earned their retirement. In their gambit to the beach they encounter two fantastical sea creatures with which they interact. The seas creatures want more than they have in their undersea domain, crave so much more than they now have. There are moments that funny and then also serious.

            Charlie and Nancy discuss their married life, the ups and downs that go with it. There was a time when Charlie was depressed and Nancy almost divorced him. They both long for something more than they have, somehow feeling they were cheated by life and are missing out on things. As with just about all of Albee’s plays, this is about lives overflowing with regrets over things not done, roads not taken, people who spend their lives living as if they are never going to day only to realize so much has slipped through their fingers.

            Artist director Ed Shea who directed this, is Charlie who longs for endless rest and pleads with his wife to leave him alone. Yet when he remembers about when he was a child and used to weight himself down with rocks to sit underwater and enjoy the vista he say there, he perks up. The result is hysterical full of frustrated outbursts. Shea delivers an impeccable performance. He is bold, sincere and masterfully funny when he needs to be.

            Charles La Frond is Leslie, the male sea creature, who is wary and concerned out the encounter with this land folk. He is curious about life on land and away from the sea. He wants to know more yet is fearful. La Frond is solid in the role, the right mixture of bravado and caution with often funny results.

            Valerie Westgate is the female seas creature, Sarah. She too longs for more, feeling life has passed her by and she feels that going on land will somehow help alleviate that. She too is somewhat cautious but longs to know more. She is delightful in the role, sincere and funny as she struggles through this new adventure.

            Susan Bowen Powers is Charlie’s wife, Nancy. Nancy is tired of life to this point and at one point considered divorcing her husband Charlie. She encourages him to reconnect with his childhood happiness. In the end she is resentful that the “good life” they lived has limited her. She craves new experiences while Charlie wants only to rest. This is the weakest performance in the production. At times she seems too bland and unemotional, a bit distant and not connected. She does have some moments with seems seem to hit the mark but they are few and far between.

            Ed Shea directs with confidence and finesse and makes solid use of the in the round format.

It runs through Feb. 5 at the theatre, located at 28 Market St., Warren. Tickets are $25 and $35. For more information, go to 2ndstorytheatre.com or call (401) 247-4200.