7th Play - 7/7/23 - While We Wait by Charly Evon Simpson

Summary: "Letters and airplane tickets fall from the sky. Memories, like snowflakes, float in on a breeze. Grace waits for an email to come. James waits to send it. And as they wait, they replay memories, imagine futures, and deal with an uncomfortable present." (New Play Exchange)

I loved: There is a lot of wonderful whimsy in this play, and it really reminds me of Sarah Ruhl's work. The stage directions are beautiful and strange, and potentially difficult to execute. We move in and out of time, stopping scenes to discuss them and then stepping back in. I really enjoyed the banter between the main characters, Grace and James, especially in the beginning when we weren't sure if he was really there or not. I also enjoyed the way they had very specific things that they were reminiscing about, like things they introduced each other to - vibrators and Peruvian chicken, and also the time he filled her room with Reese's Cups for her birthday. These specifics take us from a general feeling of love to something more real. I also loved the subway characters and how they interacted with Grace and James. Each became significant in moments, and at other times they were just other people on the subway. I particularly enjoyed those scenes set in the subway, with Grace and James surrounded by strangers - scenes where they were fighting on the subway with other people watching, feeling as if they were dying of heatstroke, someone having a panic attack, etc. City people will definitely relate to these contrasts of important events in a relationship happening during the everyday banality of traveling on public transportation.

What I didn’t Love: As with Sarah Ruhl’s work, I think this play needs a strong interpretation to be successful, and I’m not sure that is guaranteed. *** SPOILER (sort of) *** Also, I didn't like that the reason Grace had to wait years for the email saying James was ready to be in a relationship with her was because he just couldn't commit. That story feels a little stereotypical - the woman wanting marriage and children, and the man wanting ... well, not that. If he had something awesome he wanted to do, that might make it a little better, but he never really talks about why, just that he doesn't want her then. There are reasons the playwright is telling that story, but I'm not sure we need to hear it again. It would be more interesting to me if she didn't want to commit. I didn't dislike the play, but I was also not sucked in by it. Perhaps seeing it would draw me more.

Overall: I think this would be an enjoyable play to see if the director had a really strong vision, and the chemistry between Grace and James was so potent that you HAD to see them get back together. I think the whimsicality of it is delightful, and the idea that you are destined for a certain person is kind of fun to see. However, I really didn't love the typical male not being able to commit to a relationship for a while and the fact that the woman had to wait for him to ... grow up, I guess. That being said, I think I would enjoy working on a production of this play or seeing it.

Here’s a link to Google Sheets with more info about the play: Play a Day Sheet

If you want to know more about Charly Evon Simpson: http://www.charlyevonsimpson.com/