By Dessa Bayrock (The Cascade) – Email
What the Water Gave Me
Written and directed by Dylan Shroeder (UFV)
Running time 60 minutes
Showings: Thursday 10:15 p.m., Sunday 6:20 p.m.
Warning: some strong language, mature themes. Rated 14+, but more PG.
Memorable lines: “He’s more of a let’s-climb-trees-and-punch-cows kind of guy.”
“And everyone called me splatter-ass for a month.”
The play begins with the predictable Florence and the Machine soundtrack, which is both clever and fitting to tie in – “What the Water Gave Me,” after all, is the single from her most recent album.
When the play starts in earnest, it is in pitch black. Nature sounds play, allowing the audience to picture a natural area before the action starts.
We immediately see the jock versus scholar high school character types playing off each other in the two main characters, Jack (Danny Campbell) and Tommy (Dalton Yanciw). With the introduction of Sarah (Jessi Fowlis), a third character to round out the group, the stage is set for their relationships to unfold.
But another character is introduced: Annwyn (Angelina Angeline), a water nymph who promises bargains that the high-schoolers may or may not be willing to make.
Although these bargains are the central conflict of the play—Jack believes it’s worth it, and Tommy sees things more warily—the interesting plot points all stem from the main character interactions. I would argue that Annwyn isn’t necessary at all – although she does form an interesting metaphor for the challenges faced by teens on the verge of becoming adults. The three main characters are engaging and intriguing by themselves, as their own personal and internal struggles are slowly revealed. Is it possible to change from friends into lovers? How do you deal with mortality and changing relationships? What is the cost of love? Friendship? Memory?
Campbell excels as an over-the-top jock, and Yanciw truly shines as the sarcastic, cynical foil. Angeline’s natural accent plays well into her character, adding another layer of spookiness to the water nymph.
The play is light and funny, and begging to be allowed more space to develop. I could easily see this reworked as a full-length play in the future. The end is a little abrupt, and leaves us wanting more – but for now, the characters are more than worth watching for the snappy dialogue alone.
