Review – ‘Lungs’ at Main Stage West By Alexa Chipman

May 14, 2019

‘Lungs’ is an unusual play with jarring, realistic dialogue that feels like eavesdropping on a private conversation.

It opens with an embarrassing altercation in the middle of an IKEA line, and director David Lear creatively stages the actors huddled to one side of the stage, turned away, casting hasty glances back at the audience. Macmillan paints an intimate portrait of the couple as the story unfolds. It may not be the idealized romance found in musicals, but ‘Lungs’ demonstrates the chaotic, untidy nature of a genuine connection between human beings.

Sharia Pierce and Jared N. Wright are phenomenal, giving intensely vulnerable performances. The play’s odd style of stuttered lines, often talking over each other, is occasionally distracting, but reinforces the feeling of sincerity. Pierce and Wright have a natural magnetism together, which carries the play, despite meandering comments about global warming and Earth’s overpopulation.

Sound designer Albert Casselhoff has created a pre-performance experience starting a half hour before curtain. The soundscape walks through the planet’s evolution, from gentle birdsong to honking cars and loud traffic. Casselhoff’s delightfully complex creation blends into the opening scene, adding fascinating texture to the performance.

The minimalist set design by Lear stands in for a series of everyday situations—waiting in a parking lot, lying awake in bed, and even a public restroom. Its streamlined, simple visuals allow compelling conversations to become the focus, rather than an elaborate layout of props and furniture.

‘Lungs’ is a captivating modern love story about real people, delving into the ethical dilemma of whether bringing a new life into our current world is morally right. It asks questions like what it means to be a good person—is being thoughtful enough? While the play lacks focus and pacing at times, it is an intriguing journey with compelling characters.

Lungs

Presented by Main Stage West through May 26, 2019 Thur/Fri/Sat at 8:00pm, Sun at 5:00pm Tickets: $30 general, $25 senior, $15 student

Main Stage West 104 North Main Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 (707) 823-0177 www.mainstagewest.com

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Author Website - http://imaginationlane.net

Alexa Chipman is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and Marquee Theater Journalists Association with a B.F.A. in Digital Art from Dominican University of California. She has danced with Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Marin Ballet, and Marin Dance Theatre and has appeared in local theater such as the Fringe of Marin Festival. She has a background in voice acting for audio drama, graphic design, and writing Young Adult fiction.