Monday, March 2, 2015

I and You

Play #43 - I and You by Lauren Gunderson

Okay...I loved this play. Just, really loved this play. For the most part, it's a sweet, simple interaction between two high school kids: Caroline, who is out of school because of a long term illness, and Anthony, who shows up to work on a report about Walt Whitman with her that is due the next day. She is prickly and on guard in the beginning, not sure why he's there, not wanting to let any vulnerability show. And he is eager - he likes school, he likes Whitman, he likes jazz, he likes basketball. In fact, he had just come from a basketball game before he arrived at Caroline's house. Oddly, the game ended suddenly when one of the players collapsed on the court, dying suddenly. He didn't want to tell Caroline this, since death is something that she has to face pretty much all the time, but it does come out. As the play progresses, they, of course, become friends. They learn about each other's passions and dreams, they agree that Walt Whitman is pretty much a badass. They even get into a we bit o' kissin', as teenagers are wont to do. It's really a very sweet, straightforward play, but the final moment... I can't give it away, because it's too great and awesome... I really can't say much about it. But man, I just really loved it. The end came out of nowhere, but was really perfect and well earned by everything that came before. I would love to work with some students on this play - I think they would just eat it up.

No comments:

Post a Comment