It’s been some time now since teenagers lived in my house. I might be a little fuzzy on the dynamics between them even now. So, when Anthony (Miles Henry) comes bursting into Caroline’s (Justine Sombilon) bedroom; backpack, waffle fries, Pop Tarts and a poster of Walt Whitman in hand, and quoting from his “Song of Myself”, the shackles on Caroline’s back stand at attention. Who? What? And Why? Is he there?
According to Anthony, he volunteered them be working on an English project together. (It’s due the next day). Problem is that she has not been in school for over six weeks because of a liver disease, (she’s waiting for a transplant donor) and furthermore she hates school, the disease that’s keeping her home, and equally, poetry. “My body hates me, my house hates me, and here you come with homework?
- Justine Sombilon:
She can think of a dozen ways to divert attention, start an argument or just plain ignore rather him than fall for his plan. She’s confrontational, combative and surly. He hovers over her in height: tall, handsome basketball player who is driven to do the right thing, like doing homework. He’s awkward around girls because ‘they get weird’ and she thinks boys ‘only pretend to be tough when they are scared’. After a day of dancing a slight war dance, he turns her on to his favorite poet Walt Whitman.
“I and You”, streaming now through March, 28th brings together two top notch actors very familiar with each other (they have been friends and/or co-acting together for about eleven years), and takes off like a lightning rod as the two spar over the meanings of life, death, poetry, Walt Whitman and the use of pronouns in Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass”, where you will become very much WE.
Perfect timing in a world turned topsy-turvy by a year of separation and loneliness, lack of human contact and connection and teen angst, “I and You” brings out the wonder and discovery of experiences through art. Under associate director Callie Prendiville’s deft direction both actors slowly switch from cautious sharing of music (she loves Elvis- Great Balls of Fire, he John Coltrane) to sharing Anthony’s waffle fries to well if you can believe it, a hug and cooperation on the project to the finished product. The 90 minute play has more to offer than meets the eye, but no spoilers here.
Perfect timing in a world turned topsy-turvy by a year of separation and loneliness, lack of human contact and connection and teen angst, “I and You” brings out the wonder and discovery of experiences through art. Under associate director Callie Prendiville’s deft direction both actors slowly switch from cautious sharing of music (she loves Elvis- Great Balls of Fire, he John Coltrane) to sharing Anthony’s waffle fries to well if you can believe it, a hug and cooperation on the project to the finished product. The 90 minute play has more to offer than meets the eye, but no spoilers here.
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| Miles Henry and Justine Sombilon |
Reiko Huffman designed the bedroom scenery, Carmen Amon designed costumes, Ashley Bietz designed lighting and Mason Pilevsky designed sound. It was filmed and edited by John Brooks. Photo: Moxie Theatre.
MOXIE Theatre www.moxietheatre.com
Electric Company Theatre www.electriccompanytheatre.org
A virtual production of I And You by Lauren Gunderson
filmed on MOXIE Theatre’s stage and streamed digitally to audiences.
March 4-28, 2021 Fri-Sat @7:30PM and Sun @2pm
With additional school day performances on Thursdays to be decided.
Tickets: $35- Buy One Give One (sponsor a student with your purchase) $25- Single Ticket. $15- Rush Tickets - 1 Hour Before Performance - Limited Availability.
With additional school day performances on Thursdays to be decided.
Tickets: $35- Buy One Give One (sponsor a student with your purchase) $25- Single Ticket. $15- Rush Tickets - 1 Hour Before Performance - Limited Availability.
Perfect theatre piece for the now times.
I give it two thumbs up!
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| Miles Henry. |
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