Free will and fate collide in Lindy High’s hilarious romp through six absurdist-inspired acts. From a café encounter directed by an off-stage bell to a card game with the Grim Reaper, from the circle of life a la two mayflies to a conversation between two ancient Greeks interrupted by the 21st century, this year’s spring play breaks the mold and delivers a performance unlike traditional theater.

Taking cues from contemporary playwrights Woody Allen, Neil Simon, and David Ives, the play echoed Absurdist Theater, a marginalized form of stage plays characterized by the confusion of the characters between what is real and what is surreal. The genre begs the question: is there more? Are the characters in control of their lives and destiny, or are they at the mercy of an omniscient power that reigns absolutely over their relative realities? The characters in Act VI, Allen’s “God,” spend their entire time on stage attempting to reach an end that returns to the beginning, the characters doomed to repeat their lives at the whim of the curtain. Horace and May Mayfly in Act II, Ives’ “Time Flies,” are confronted with their mortality, a 24-hour fate in the hands of nature. And even a man’s deal with Death himself in Act IV, Allen’s “Death Knocks,” only postpones Death’s coming for one day. It is all beyond their control, and the result is a light-hearted yet thought-provoking collection of characters seeking more and stumbling to their inevitable ends.

Main and supporting cast members graced the stage more than once as different characters in each act. Melissa Murphy’s flippant vitality pervaded her performance, a hue that made her characters more comical and entertaining. Brian White’s distinctive sense of timing and sarcasm, a style owned by Mr. White, was palpable. Caitlyn Sheppard’s erratic flourishes as wife Norma Hubley were a divine complement to White’s harried husband in Act V, Simon’s “Plaza Suite.” Gabrielle Flores delivered a fair, convincing performance (even as a death-imminent insect). Kevin Clyne performed respectably, his comic character note in his cool delivery. Bobby Montaniz’s presence was incurably endearing, though his delivery was a bit less glib. The supporting cast was light and amusing, especially the two Laurel and Hardy figures who marked the transition between acts by replacing the title cards. Overall, the Thespian Troupe performed favorably, given the less-than-mainstream material. There were neither stand-out nor lackluster performances – the epitome of a true ensemble piece.



Despite the modest presentation, the break from the traditional direction which Mr. Levin chose to lead is debatable. Years past have seen the Lindy High stage host dramas, not comedies. While everyone enjoys a comedy, the modern devices employed throughout each act – the off-stage bell in Act I, Ives’ “Sure Thing,” and the interruption of the assumed sequence of events by seemingly irrelevant characters in Act VI – may have turned off audience members accustomed to traditional theater wherein plays have a beginning, middle, and end obeying the metaphysical laws of time, space, and logic. The writer never interacts with his characters, and Death never just drops in through the window. Humor could be found in the sheer absurdity of the characters’ circumstances and their reactions to it, but was the message lost in the hysteria? There is a reason why Absurdist Theater is a marginalized genre, the unimpressive ticket sales a testament to its outrageous nature. While thoroughly enjoyed by the adults of the community , the play may have gone over more than a few heads.