Theater Review by Jeffrey Bruce . . . .
Atlanta’s leading LGBTQIA+ theater, Out Front, is presenting the premier of Audrey Cefaly’s The Gulf directed by K. Parker. The two-character play takes place on a small, dilapidated fishing boat in the stifling waters of Southern Alabama.
Betty (Jamie Goss) and her partner Kendra (Daryl Lisa Fazio) are engaged in fantasizing about what lies ahead for them in their current dismal state of emotions. Betty is a neurotic child-woman—sloppy, desperate for love, and rather annoying. Kendra is her polar opposite. Sexy, comfortable in her own skin, a loner, and potentially suicidal and homicidal.
Neither is terribly bright, and while their dreams are heartbreaking, due to the writing; but, their effect on an audience would be enhanced if there had been a bit more personal history or back-story of each girl/woman. As it stands, this couple’s problems stem from the fact that Kendra is, essentially, a loner: she fishes alone, works at the Sewer Works to be alone, and Betty gets on her very last nerve. Betty, who is a bartender and can talk all she wants to her customers, begs, cajoles and tempts Kendra to love her; and when it appears that her overtures all will come to naught, a knife nearly turns this fishing expedition into a crime scene.
This is a premiere and there are definite possibilities. The play, as mentioned, needs more character clarification and development; and while Ms. Parker did good work keeping her actors busy on that small skiff, more thought might have been given as to why her characters were in the mental and emotional states they were in.
The evocative set, a desolate Alabama bayou, was designed by Sof Delgado. The lighting by Beate Czogalla presented the passage of time beautifully.
As for the actors, while Ms. Goss came into her own when she relaxed, slowed down and became more introspective, toward the end of the 80 minutes, it is Ms. Fazio who carried the show. A master/mistress of underplaying, her frustration and torturous yin and yang feelings for Betty were wonderfully expressed. All she wants is to be left alone. I know how she felt.
The Gulf. Through March 30 at the Out Front Theatre Company (999 Brady Avenue, Atlanta, GA). www.outfronttheatre.com
Photos: Sydney Lee
