A local troupe calling themselves Penguin Productions is staging a vibrant I and You in the Taproot’s Theatre’s Isaac Studio space. Shana Bestock ably directs Daisy Schreiber and Linda Cardona-Rigor in playwright Lauren Gunderson’s one-act gem. Opening night found the two leads rushing the opening scenes a bit, but once they found their footing they succeeded in presenting a solid rendition of this mind-bending exploration of Walt Whitman, transcendental philosophy and teen-age angst.
Most importantly, under Bestock’s direction, the two young actresses get their lines out clearly and concisely with a great deal of conviction. And what wonderful lines Gunderson has written here!
In I and You, Gunderson has her two awkward teens work on a Walt Whitman project. While working, they recite a number of passages from the poet’s masterpiece, Leaves of Grass. The poems cited in the play can easily be tied to Whitman’s link with the transcendentalist themes that were popular in nineteenth century Northeast America. Basically, the transcendental philosophy argues for an emphasis on an individual approach to God, an approach that stresses a greater understanding of the natural world, and finally an appreciation of the mysterious inter-connectedness of all humanity. The transcendentalist argues that we should be true to ourselves, but we should also always be aware of the bonds that bind us to each other. The knock you out of your seat dénouement to Gunderson’s play personifies these philosophical notions.
Daisy Schreiber plays Caroline, the ailing young girl who must live nearly all her days alone at home with only her cell phone and its accompanying social media for company. Linda Cardona-Rigor is Toni, the successful student athlete who has come to visit to prod Caroline into completing a Whitman project for her English class. Both actresses have a number of fine moments. Schreiber is particularly effective developing a character arc as Caroline moves away from an wary and defensive shut-in to a young girl learning to appreciate the joy and beauty of Whitman’s work and Toni’s generosity in sharing it with her.
I and You will be staged two more times this weekend, February 8 and 9 at the Taproot. Admission is free with donations being accepted. For more information go to penguinproductionsseattle.org/our-programs.