Keith Boynton '05E's senior project in playwriting, "Books and Water," was performed during family weekend by the theater & dance department. A theater and dance major, Boynton has been interested in acting and writing since his pre-Amherst days. "I started writing plays in high school, when I was about 16. I had already done a fair bit of acting and was starting to direct, too, so playwriting just seemed the next logical step," said Boynton.

Set in the elegant 1930s, "Books and Water" revolves around two main characters, Kate and Ian, played by Catherine Macdonald and Collin Smith, who are holidaying aboard an oceanliner. Kate is a bored, married woman generally unhappy with her husband and marriage, and even her lover is no longer exciting her. Though beautiful, she is insecure and seeks the attention of Ian, a fellow traveler whom she finds arranging books in the library. Kate is lonely and tired of her life; she seeks excitement and stimulation. Because of this, she is attracted to the mysterious Ian. Ian, however, prefers the company of his books to other people. Cynical and disillusioned from past experiences, Ian sets himself against Kate's bold advances.

Through a series of interactions, both Ian and Kate manage to touch a chord in the other. From their first meeting onwards, their conversation flows in familiar and teasing lines as they both express their frustration and bitterness through jest. Both Ian and Kate seek an outlet from the ennui of a life gently rocked back and forth by waves they seem to have no control over.

The dialogue between the two flows easily and is tempered by sharp wit and humor. Kate's coquetry is perfectly matched by Ian's nonchalance and cynicism, and the fast-paced interaction arrests the audience's attention throughout the course of the play.

The play is concise and makes effective use of the minimal props. It was something Boynton had to keep in mind while writing his story. "I was inspired by the restrictions placed on me by budgetary concerns and I knew I had to write something with relatively few characters and no stringent demands in terms of the set," said Boynton. "The play was also written at the 11th hour, which accounts for its blessed brevity."

Boynton's goal in writing this play was to entertain both himself and the audience. "I generally write first and analyze later," said Boynton. "It wasn't until 'Books and Water' was finished that I decided it was about the triumph of energy and desire against the adversity of absurdity."

The climactic tragedy of the story does give Ian and Kate a sort of respite, providing them with comic relief from the daily drudgery of their lives as they literally look towards new horizons with calm acceptance.