5th Play - 7/5/23 - Scratching the Surface by Charly Evon Simpson

I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this writer, but I did. Another one that I had NO idea of what it was about before reading …

Summary: "Scratching the Surface is a play about one woman’s nightmare, one couple’s dream, and the nice woman next door to likes to stop by with pies." (New Play Exchange)

Loved: Well, this play started off in a very interesting way, with a Black wife who looks a little bit like Sandra Dee and a husband who hears a scratching noise. I was intrigued! Then it all starts to go south as it's revealed what they've done. The character of Win, the wife, with her 50's housewife presentation, actually turns out to have the power in the family and is not afraid to use it. I loved this at the beginning! As an actor, she would be fun to play, as she's got a lot of agency. I also appreciated the creepy way that the main characters just act like everything is normal in the house, even though we know it's not. And the neighbor who comes over with pie is fun - I would like to see more of her. The play has surprises that definitely catch you off guard. Additionally, I really appreciated the caveat by the playwright at the beginning of the play that said “Just because Julia goes through a traumatic experience does not mean that the actress playing Julia should go through a traumatic experience during the process of this play.” It goes on to suggest that she doesn’t have to be touched in a violent or sexual way, and to consider the suggestion of touch instead. As an intimacy professional, I’m aware of this, but not every production may have one (ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD FOR THIS PLAY!!!), and that will give them something to think about to keep the actors as safe as possible.

What I didn’t love: Honestly, although this could be a good thriller, the subject matter is just not to my personal taste. *** SPOILER *** After it was revealed that Win & Mark had kidnapped Julia and locked her in the trunk, it started to be uncomfortable for me. Learning that they planned to basically have Mark sexually assault her to create a baby for the two of them made it even harder. I definitely didn't want to watch that or any of how things rolled out from there. However, that's really because I don't like watching violence, especially violence against women. I had trouble getting past that premise. And I can't decide if the fact that the wife who hatches the plot and the kidnapped girl are both black makes it ickier? Also, there was a surprising twist near the end, which I liked, but the very end left things way up in the air. I feel like there could be a different ending that doesn't leave us with quite so many questions as to what will happen.

Overall: If you enjoy a thriller that's made creepier by the desire to achieve "normalcy" - being a homemaker, making a baby, being a family - you might enjoy this piece. It presents the desire to achieve the "American Dream" of home and family by any means necessary, no matter how awful. I think that if this play were a ridiculous absurd comedy, it might work better for me - a la Jenn Silverman. However there's not a lot of humor in the piece, other than the irony of the situation, and so for me, the more nuanced things the playwright is trying to comment on got lost, because of how very uncomfortable I felt watching horrible things being done to an innocent woman. I think the play is reasonably well written, it's just really not my taste and I don't think I'd be able to watch the whole thing, much less be part of a production of it. I’d like to read another of this writer’s plays, though, hopefully something that’s more up my alley!

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/