Weird and Quirky but Definitely not Shallow

Shark Date (photo: Fred Cattroll)

Written by Canadian playwright Adam Bock, Shallows has a reputation as a story where the characters aren't always likable (and you may even find them downright rude), yet something about its oddness just makes you want to know how it'll end. I beg to differ. The feel from the very beginning was quirky, modern, and real. The characters are in themselves a lot like you, me, or that guy down the road. Beneath the humor and the light-hearted atmosphere they dealt with issues we can all empathize with and have probably encountered in the past, such as trying to recognize the difference between love and lust, facing uncertainty surrounding love, and having to choose between habituated love and passion. It wasn't very obvious at first, but, as the play progressed this underlying theme diffused through the whole theatre and gripped the audience in its gravity. In his Director's Notes, Joël Beddows states, "I like this play [. . .] mostly because Bock's characters sometimes, no, mostly do not get it. But they have the courage to try."

The actors set the mood right from the opening scene by marching from one side of the stage to the other and sighing. Conversations occur between the couples, or more typically, between pairs of actor in a sort of whack-a-mole fashion. But the folks who disappeared into the background weren't simply on the sidelines waiting their turn, they were texting back and forth on their cell phones, watching TV or whispering to each other. This technique absolutely delighted my ADD personality, for when my attention slid off the main scene, I still had something interesting to look at. The dialogue was quick, sharp and had moments brimming with beautiful descriptors that were worthy of literary praise.

Bob (Richard Gélinas) and Barb (Maureen Smith) (photo: Fred Cattroll)

The chemistry between the actors was light-hearted, and despite the deeper underlying messages to the play, they maintained a fresh bond with each other that brought believability to the stage, particularly between Barb and Bob, and Donna and Nick. Overall the play was an absolute delight. I walked in with slight hesitation, not sure how the plotline was going to unfold, but I was pleasantly surprised, entertained, and would be more than willing to see it again.

Swimming in the Shallows run at the Arts Court Theatre until August 22^nd. For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.artscourt.ca

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