"Drive," which is Olivia D'Ambrosio's senior project in acting, premiered last Thursday night in the Holden Theater. The play tells of Li'l Bit's coming of age in Maryland during the 1960s through family discussions at the dining table, memories of junior high school and, of course, driving lessons with her uncle.
When Li'l Bit's uncle, Peck, gets into the passenger seat at the beginning of the play, he sits uncomfortably close to his niece and consequently unsettles the audience. Li'l Bit obliges. Even though she frequently draws the line, Peck attempts to assuage her worries by saying that he will not do anything that she does not want to do. In saying this, he persuades her and takes advantage of her. The scenes in which he caresses her, massages her breasts and takes photographs of her were disturbing because the acting was so realistic.
D'Ambrosio handled the role beautifully with her accent, movement and attitude. Her character shifts from one time period to another were graceful and believable. She portrayed finely the change from the naiveté of an adolescent at age 11 to the maturity of a woman at 35. A versatile actress, D'Ambrosio also played the spectrum from cynicism to drunkenness notably well. By seeing the various experiences that shaped her character, Li'l Bit became a real person who evoked sympathy from her audience. This is partly why D'Ambrosio considers the play's greatest strength "its ambiguity."
Demonstrating his abilities as a professional actor, Court Dorsey played Uncle Peck with commanding capability. He particularly shined in his monologue during which he assumes the role of an older man (perhaps his father, though it was unclear) teaching a young boy how to fish. His total belief that he was speaking to another character was remarkable. Paralleling Li'l Bit's experiences, this flashback demonstrated how molestation was a part of Peck's history and thereby present.
While Carrie Drzik, Honora Talbot '07 and John Timothy '07 portrayed Li'l Bit's mother, grandmother and grandfather, respectively, they also played several other characters throughout the performance. At the dining table, they speak candidly, not vulgarly about sex and the like. Drzik was especially convincing as Li'l Bit's mother when she spoke truthfully to her daughter and then her aunt, Peck's wife. She also gives lessons on drinking gagging and acting ladylike, mirroring the how-tos of driving and which are generally more amusing than helpful. Oftentimes denying the truth, Talbot delivered some hilarious lines and illustrated the practice she has garnered from playing grandmothers in Mr. Gad's House of Improv. Timothy also excelled as a sex-crazed, chauvinistic grandfather making comments that would be considered sacrilegious in a liberal college. For instance, he insists that Li'l Bit does not need to learn about Shakespeare, but should instead focus on "lying on [her] back in the dark." His alternate performance as an awkward adolescent was also commendable.
The impressive acting was a reflection not only on the actors, but also on the director, Peter Lobdell. He made some interesting and effective directorial decisions. For instance, Talbot provided a spoken aside for D'Ambrosio during the first driving lesson and first molestation incident.
The set design by Tarja "Dasha" Martikainen was equally impressive. Although "Drive" did not take advantage of the potential flexibility of the venue-a black box theater-the traditional setup gave the theater an intimate feeling. There were two red car seats center stage. (The staff cared about authenticity to the extent that they needed car seats from a particular year.) On stage right were a dining table and a screen that showed prohibitive or safety traffic signs. Reflecting, commenting upon and guiding the fluctuating time period of the play were tips on driving, a clever device on Vogel's part, presented by a Greek chorus composed of Drzik, Talbot and Timothy. On stage left were lockers for flashbacks to junior high. The play is so well crafted and subtle and complex that you can never really wrap your hands around it.
Tunes from the 1960s nicely and appropriately contributed to the setting, as if they were songs on the car's radio, the most important part of the car, according to Li'l Bit.
Ultimately, "Drive" was a fascinating, yet disturbing play in which Li'l Bit, through driving, comes to terms with the molestation she experienced as a child. The cast, director, production staff and crew collectively earned high marks on their drivers' tests.