A Delicate Ship, written by Anna Ziegler and produced at Center Stage Theatre by HappySad Theatre Company, is ostensibly about a love triangle. More broadly, this intimate three-person play basks in the glorious misery of being in your twenties, when the intrigues of romance are still more interesting than going to bed early. Lior Selve plays the unhinged Nate, who shows up at the apartment of his long-time gal-pal, Sarah (Riley Rodarte), who is entertaining her new boyfriend, Sam (Brayden Myrick). In a show of manic bravado, Nate reveals his intentions to sweep Sarah off her feet and save her from what he perceives as a sad, lonely life. The play navigates issues of quarter-life crisis, such as distancing oneself from parental expectations and finding satisfaction in career and partnership. The greater tension, however, is the audience’s understanding of Nate’s dangerous instability and the helplessness of watching him spiral toward doom while Sarah and Sam, somewhat oblivious, play soap opera.
Directed by Robert Rodarte, A Delicate Ship’s trio of performers have undeniable acting chops. The show’s exploration of memory and perception is engaging, though the dialogue sometimes waxes poetic instead of embracing brevity. Where the production struggles is a tendency toward smallness and imperceptible nuance. In a general example, micro-expressions without movement around the stage space can read as static, even in the relative intimacy of this black box. In a specific example, a bit with Post-it notes doesn’t quite work because the audience can’t necessarily read their content.
Opening night also battled microphone connection issues, so I offer a trade secret of Santa Barbara theater: Consider passing on amplification at Center Stage. Without a live band to contend with, this theater is small enough that vocal projection is generally sufficient. HappySad Theatre Company is working with a fair share of talent and vision, and I’m intrigued to see the evolution of their work.
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