In Call of the Wild by Jack London, there’s a line that repeats several times, said to be a universal law, the law of life, that is, “Eat or Be Eaten.” In the subsequent passages, London sets up a horrific narrative that is often true: what separates “man” from other species that are deemed eatable, and, of these species, many will eat man; then is man truly of any value? Because of this need for survival, there’s so much fear that permeates our condition. What’s actually real, and what isn’t? In Edward Albee’s Seascape, two couples face these demons head on. One is of the human form and the other alien, but ultimately, we wonder, whose world is it?
Retired couple Nancy (Ellen McLaughlin) and Charlie (James Carpenter) are relaxing on a beach when, with much hilarity, they face two mysterious sea creatures, played gorgeously by Sarah Nina Hayon and Seann Gallagher. Their names are Sarah and Leslie, and they vibrate with the same level of fear as the human couple. Of course, as the audience, we fear the creatures, but, soon enough, the creatures show us that this uncertainty is a two way street. The actors melt into their roles, and beautiful makeup and costuming (by David Zinn) help establish a wonderfully stark visual contrast between the couples. But it’s when their guards come down and they come together that the play truly takes off, with dialogue that probes into the very core of our existence. Zinn also designed the set with the same contrast between reality and illusion; it’s a simple beach, with rolling dunes, grassy knolls, and the occasional fly by disrupting the serenity.
This attention to detail, the use of space, and the blocking make Pam MacKinnon’s directorial debut with A.C.T. a gorgeous one, offering a beautiful message of empathy and altruism. Seascape makes it explicitly known, though, that this message might not be the way of the world; people who exhibit acts of altruism or emphatic intelligence are rare, and perhaps almost nonexistent. There’s a deep depression that weighs down on these characters as they navigate a world full of pain and despair and suffering that is ultimately quenched when they find people who understand them, who see them, and who love them. When Nancy and Charlie ask Leslie and Sarah why they left the ocean to come to the shore, they respond that they no longer felt a sense of belonging; that’s the most important connection we have as humans really, is it not? Is such love impossible to find, and unreal? Can we find someone who makes us forget about the noise, and help us to find a place where we can belong?
Seascape is playing at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater now through February 17. For more information and for tickets, visit: http://www.act-sf.org
