In “Drowning,” recently retired Army Veteran Matthew struggles with integration back into society, the results of a recent job interview and the relationship with his little daughter, who his ex-wife is questioning whether to allow him to see or not. Will these events take him further down an approaching hole that has no escape?
“Black n Blue” see’s Tom struggling with the fallout of the most devastating event in his marriage, and whether the rift between him and his wife can be repaired. Is there any hope that their love is stronger than his pride.
These two one-acts came together in a set of revealing monologues portraying the difficulty of adjusting to lives in transition. Leilani Squire’s “Drowning” depicts Adam (Matthew Thompson), a returning vet whose short fuse has estranged him from his wife and precious daughter. Through his dialogic phone calls, we experience the amount of effort it takes to keep it together in the face of unrelenting rejection, from wary would-be employers to his vindictive spouse. Squire’s tightening tempo reflects the time-bomb ticking inside of this man whose only solution may be suicide.
In “Black & Blue,” Blaine Vedros plays Tom Wilkes, another man whose forced eviction from his job and subsequently his marriage leaves him desperate for retribution. But, as he ruminates, we realize that he is not exactly an innocent victim, and the only way out of his dilemma may be the self-realization that eludes him. Both Thompson’s Adam in “Drowning” and Vedros’ fierce Tom in “Black & Blue” reinforces the fact that, as a group, men have lost important support systems to aid them.
I witnessed a powerful hour of solo shows featuring Adam Meredith in Drowning (written by Leilani Squire) and Blaine Vedros in Black & Blue (written by Ron Fromstein. This was powerful theater about the effect hope has in keeping us from making bad decisions. Both shows were skillfully directed by Martin, and gave us plenty of food for thought. Because of my own personal experiences with the military and domestic violence, these stories left a lasting impression on me.
This consists of two 30 minute solo shows. I personally found Drowning a little more compelling than “Black n Blue” but I’m splitting hairs. Blaine Verdos and Adam Meredith are great storytellers and they both grip you right away and don’t you go until they leave the stage. Matthew Martin’s direction gets both actors to hit the right notes on the compelling scripts.
Two, tight, uncomfortable solo shows that make up a slick and entertaining hour.
These two one-acts came together in a set of revealing monologues portraying the difficulty of adjusting to lives in transition. Leilani Squire’s “Drowning” depicts Adam (Matthew Thompson), a returning vet whose short fuse has estranged him from his wife and precious daughter. Through his dialogic phone calls, we experience the amount of effort it takes to keep it together in the face of unrelenting rejection, from wary would-be employers to his vindictive spouse. Squire’s tightening tempo reflects the time-bomb ticking inside of this man whose only solution may be suicide.
In “Black & Blue,” Blaine Vedros plays Tom Wilkes, another man whose forced eviction from his job and subsequently his marriage leaves him desperate for retribution. But, as he ruminates, we realize that he is not exactly an innocent victim, and the only way out of his dilemma may be the self-realization that eludes him. Both Thompson’s Adam in “Drowning” and Vedros’ fierce Tom in “Black & Blue” reinforces the fact that, as a group, men have lost important support systems to aid them.
I witnessed a powerful hour of solo shows featuring Adam Meredith in Drowning (written by Leilani Squire) and Blaine Vedros in Black & Blue (written by Ron Fromstein. This was powerful theater about the effect hope has in keeping us from making bad decisions. Both shows were skillfully directed by Martin, and gave us plenty of food for thought. Because of my own personal experiences with the military and domestic violence, these stories left a lasting impression on me.
This consists of two 30 minute solo shows. I personally found Drowning a little more compelling than “Black n Blue” but I’m splitting hairs. Blaine Verdos and Adam Meredith are great storytellers and they both grip you right away and don’t you go until they leave the stage. Matthew Martin’s direction gets both actors to hit the right notes on the compelling scripts.
Two, tight, uncomfortable solo shows that make up a slick and entertaining hour.
