TIRED WAVE STOP!

Lantern Church Gym

July 31, 2011

What an odd little show.  It’s not at all what I expected.

Creator and performer Steve Boleantu strings a fantastical yarn about a man – the Captain – who steals a sailboat, which becomes his best friend, and eschews money, material goods and human companionship to live a life at sea.

Along the way, he meets and marries a mermaid.  They have a child, which she leaves with the Captain, and she disappears back into the briny.

The Captain raises the child, whom he calls “Monkey Boy.”  He is obsessed with finding the boy’s mother again so he can pawn off the child on her.  (A loving father he is not.)

Monkey Boy, meanwhile, grows up, yearning to see land.

It’s a very odd story, a small part grounded in reality, but most taking place in the realm of fantasy.  (Cannibals even make their way into the play.)

Boleantu does a nice job playing the contrasting characters of the boy and the father.  He is surprisingly convincing as an eccentric sailor.  That being said, I sometimes found the play hard to follow and a tad on the long side.

I’ll be frank:  this show will not be to everyone’s taste, due to its odd and fantastical nature.  However, for those who are willing to dip their toes into the waters of fantasy and fairytales, you’ll find this little creation charming.

Tired Wave Stop! runs again today, Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.