Reviewer: Connor S. Rousseau
SVSU graduate Brady Kastshor put together a play with unique production elements and themes which made its debut performance at the Pit and Balcony Theatre over the weekend. The story, which brings attention to the mental health conflicts of a man dying of cancer, showcased some of the best Saginaw has to offer in terms of theatrical talent, production design, costumes, and lighting.
While the cast consisted of just one actor and four actresses, their stage presence and dynamic characters immersed the audience into the setting of hunting grounds by a lake in Wisconsin. A man on the brink of death endures a painful struggle with his own mind as he fights suicidal thoughts.
Actor Bill Alley starred as protagonist Lee Stone, a character facing a man-vs-self conflict throughout the entire story. His acting skills gave the character a complicated personality. His talent brought many emotions to the forefront, and his character had dynamic moods that delicately developed throughout the plot. His character arc was well thought out and carefully crafted, which shows how the imagination and creativity of an actor coincide with the production prowess of the play’s director to create something truly special.
This show was unafraid to tackle uncomfortable themes of suicide and depression. It brought mental health crises into the limelight. Vulgar language was used consistently to convey the heavy emotions and seriousness of the protagonist’s inner struggles. Even with the play’s heavy themes of loss, death, depression, and suicide, there was a healthy amount of comedic relief sprinkled throughout that gave the audience a chance to breathe and settle down after a difficult scene. However, this also caused me to wonder when it was appropriate to laugh. Sometimes the comedic relief was so seriously delivered that one would wonder if laughter was the best response or if other audience members may become offended by the laughter. This highlights how uncomfortable some of the scenes could make one feel, but this is exactly what makes the show successful. It sheds light on a very serious question: How should you react when a discussion about suicide, weakness, loneliness, and depression is shared? Furthermore, it highlights the fact that not everyone reacts to tragedy in the same way.
The set design, lighting, makeup, sound design, and costumes were outstanding. It was clear that the production team made very intentional decisions to enhance the story’s message and immersion. The show takes place by a lake, and a water sound effect and blue lighting were used throughout the play, eventually becoming so immersive that I didn’t even think about it. The trees had brown leaves, dead and ready to fall like Lee Stone on what appears to be the brink of death physically and mentally. Symbols like this established the macabre mood of the production, and it was done well. The ghosts of Lee Stone’s past act as sirens, the manipulative mythical beasts from Greek mythology in Homer’s The Odyssey, and they torture this man in ways not so different from Odysseus on his dangerous journey. It certainly drew some powerful parallels.
Reflection and regret are among the biggest focuses of the production, and there were several memorable lines worth mentioning, such as: “Memories can kill a lonely man,” and “Death is the answer to all suffering; it is the ultimate gift.”
Ultimately, this production had the audience wrestling with uncomfortable but powerful and well-executed themes of death. It took me into the mind of a person struggling with suicide. One doesn’t have to be dying of cancer to relate to the themes of depression, especially in a society that has become much more permissive of people sharing their mental health struggles and supporting them in their time of need, reminding them that there are people out there who will look out for their well-being. And at the end of the day, perhaps that is what’s most important.