The multilayered story is loosely centered around Andy (Keith Boynton '05E), a brilliant astronomer who opens and closes the production with philosophical soliloquy. Sandwiched between questions of existence lie tangled intricacies of eight San Francisco souls with questions of their own. Andy and the characters around him are hurtled into unexpected situations and forced to cope with the most difficult decisions. The audience must also deal with the unexpected, as the dynamic characters and plot follow surprising paths.
Contemporary issues such as abortion, gender roles and AIDS awareness all surface within several frictions among characters. Wilson highlights the universality of these problems by assigning several characters to rather ironic careers. Andy and Mickey (Eric Vennemeyer '04), men who can decipher the most elaborate relationships in outer space, are hopelessly lost in their own romantic relationships. A plucky old anthropologist, Liz (Sarah Dasher '04E), is able to gain acceptance into the city's toughest gangs, and yet she cannot penetrate the defenses of her own daughter, Barbara (Kim Rosenstock '02)-an effective testament that no one is invulnerable to difficulties in romance and parenthood.
At several points in the play, a split stage is alternately lit to juxtapose characters with conflicting perspectives. Career ethics are contrasted when Don (Del Wright '05), the priest and Pauly (Jordan Zolan), his choir director, discuss humanitarian pursuits while Andy and his superior, Carl (Jake Lillien), are caught in a tense exchange fueled by selfish personal ventures. The audience is again treated to a simultaneous view of opposing ideas when the male and female characters take turns pondering the uncertainties of love and marriage.
Such rich dual scenes are impeccably orchestrated by director Sarah Johnson '02, who chose to direct "Sympathetic Magic" as her senior project. The professional finish of the play reveals her exceptional skill, and her efforts are complemented tastefully by set designer Tristan Jeffers '03. Jeffers created a uniquely sculptured set that accommodates the needs of a slew of different settings with near-seamless transitions.
The lavish talent of the student cast makes up for any disparities left by the minimalistic set. There is no weak link among the eight young actors and their interactions are natural enough to invoke spontaneity. Wright accredits the dynamic discourse to the flexibility of the director. "Sarah Johnson doesn't hinder creativity," he said. "She lets the actors experiment."
Such artistic freedom is salient, and is just one of the pleasures of this impressive production.