Chatroom draws you in

By Grace Weng     11/9/11 6:00pm

Wiess Tabletop Theater's Fall production, "Chatroom," wastes no energy or time in its performance of Enda Walsh's heavy but fast-paced play. Producers Liz Castillo, a Wiess College senior, and Ian Kretz, a Wiess sophomore, along with director Ian Bott, a Wiess junior, have formed a production true to the vivid and sometimes even grotesque quality of Walsh's work. Though the one-act play is short, running about one hour, Tabletop's "Chatroom" is engagingly concentrated. The simple premise of six high school students communicating through chat rooms becomes a palette to tackle complex topics like manipulation and suicide. Despite such grave subject matter, the play finds unconventional ways to be funny, resulting in a poignant and entertaining play.

With all the dialogue occurring within the Chiswick's Bloody Opinionated chat room site, the play starts out with two of the high schoolers debating the validity and helpfulness of children's books, using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as an example. We are first introduced to William, a cynical teenager who yearns to be considered an adult and to make a significant impact in the world. Wiess junior Luis de las Cuevas thoroughly maintains the aura of William's character, who is a self-proclaimed "pain in the ass." While de las Cuevas does falter in executing his lines at times, he convincingly makes his character's subtle transition from merely controversial to malicious. On the other side of the debate is Jack, played by Wiess sophomore Ife Owoyemi. Jack is inherently moral, but finds himself conflicted during the chat room discussions. Owoyemi does a good job portraying the even-headedness of his character, not straining to make his character too theatrical.

In the next scene, we find ourselves in a Britney Spears chat room and are introduced to Emily and Eva. Emily, played by Brown College freshman Sarah Frazier, is a sheltered, well-meaning 15-year-old who has gone through her share of insecurities. Frazier's character doesn't leave a huge impression, but she plays her role well enough to elicit empathy from those who have experienced growing up in a confining suburban bubble. Eva, played by McMurtry College sophomore Molly Richardson, doesn't let her cough get in the way of enthusiastically playing her strong, outspoken character. Richardson realistically portrays the independent Eva, revealing traces of disappointment and vulnerability without losing her driven character.

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With William, Eva finds a cause to meddle with in the troubled Jim, brilliantly played by Wiess freshman Max Payton. Jim has many problems, mostly stemming from being abandoned by his father at the zoo when he was six years old; as a 15-year-old, he is depressed his life is as "insubstantial as soup." Payton sculpts the vulnerability of his character so well that the audience is able to understand why he would reject Emily's and Jack's attempts to help him out of his misery, and consider committing suicide. Payton's dialogue is a little rushed at times, but he manages to captivate the audience as he delivers all his monologues, remaining faithful to his character. Despite how pitiful Jim's circumstances are, the audience is able to sympathize with him because of how compellingly Payton plays his part.

A guide and excellent complement to Jim's character is Laura, who has the burden of listening for teenagers dealing with the doubts she has gone through. Though a girl of few words, what Laura does say is extremely powerful and is articulately executed by Wiess freshman Vanessa Jones. Jones delivers her lines clearly and passionately, striking some of the central messages of the play dead-on.

The bulk of the play's effect rests on the actors alone. The overall set design is simple, with six chairs laid out and a few props. For a majority of the time, the actors are seated, demanding attention to their facial and verbal expression. Minute details, like the irony in William's character wearing a Lacoste sweater, enhance the comprehensiveness and complexity of all six characters. The six actors each do a thorough job of defining their characters. In turn, their interactions with each other are dynamic. The result is an effective and engrossing play that tackles genuine teenage matters without dragging itself down.

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