What I liked
The writer /performer has considerable appeal onstage, and his deadpan naturalism and hilarious physicality during the swimming sequences made this a delight. The direction was deft and clever, making use of the simple stairway and a few minimal props to convey so many places and events.
What I didn't like
This whole thing worked for me. As this was a preview, there was a technical glitch that made the slides that were to be part of the show not work. But frankly, I didn’t miss these, it worked fine without.
My overall impression
I had no idea what I was coming to see but when I learned it was a one man show, I was worried. They can be very self indulgent. But Sink or Swim was anything but that. It was witty, funny, moving, insightful and very, very entertaining. I loved it and would highly recommend it! It’s about a guy who.. just …can’t swim. And it’s both touching and hilarious why, and the sequence of him taking adult swimming lessons from a macho adonis while older ladies and tiny children splash by him with aplomb was priceless. But it’s also about loss, and dealing with grief. Yet it never sinks into pathos. This skillful performer and director pull back from that edge every time.
