My overall impression
ZK Lowenfels crafts a poetic script in this short fringe show that fails to live up to all of it’s hype. And it pains me to be that honest, but I really can’t tell you what the show was trying to do, or say, or convey – other than “hey look at me, I’m written by a self-masturbatory, smart-ass poet, to young for her own good”. I was left… perplexed… unimpressed.
Now don’t get me wrong – the show is beautifully written… but it just dances in circles. Lack of character names make you forget about the characters when they’re not on stage, and not really care about what they do or say when they are present. “They’re on a boat…. okay…. cool.” For lack of a better word, the presentation of it all seems forced.
The set, lighting, sound design, none of it’s particularly special and while Lauren Marie, and Mike Rosenbaum give honest performances… there doesn’t seem to be a lick of true connection between the two of them. Cameron Miller offers a bit of comedy and is great at it, but over all, none of the actors get the chance to explore the range of emotions I know they’re capable of – and that causes the whole thing to more or less flatline.
Who knows the true route of the problem… lack of theme, perhaps, not enough text, an eager producer? Something’s missing from this show to make it truly special, and that’s my GIANT PROBLEM with it. It’s another typical love story from a young and cliched playwright… nothing you haven’t seen before.
Sewer Rats at Sea started to sink from the moment I sat down.
