‘Really Really’ stuns
Photo courtesy of 3rd Act Production
Written by Shelby Loebker
SCAD’s 3rd Act Productions presented “Really Really” in the packed Mondanaro Theater Saturday, Feb. 20.
Saturday’s show — the second of two performances — took place at 8 p.m. Though the play lasted approximately two hours, everyone in attendance will surely be turning it over in their minds for days to come.
“Really Really” was written by Paul Downs Colaizzo and was first performed off-Broadway in early 2013. The play takes place in two revolving college dorm rooms, and explores the lives and relationships that are affected in the aftermath of a particular scandal. Colaizzo leaves it to the audience to decide whether that scandal really happened, or really didn’t.
Chloe Kay brilliantly directed and staged the performance to maximize the impact of the drama’s powerful and somewhat threatening themes of class disparity, sexual politics, and how far people are willing to go to get what they want. Kay’s efforts, combined with emotionally charged performances from the seven talented cast members, left the audience with sharp questions dangling over their heads, held by the now thin thread of their own morality.
Viewers are drawn into the camaraderie and easy dialogue of a group of college seniors on the morning after an annual party. We hear all about the antics of the previous evening, juxtaposed by the characters who are ready to move on from college and those who want to hold on to the experience for as long as possible.
However, the casual atmosphere begins to evaporate as other stories from the party come to light. The initial camaraderie vanishes as stakes rise and the characters’ survival instincts kick in. Accusations and counter accusations are thrown about in intense dialogue, forcing the characters, and their audience to choose sides.
“Really Really” wears the viewer down; each time you finally agree with a character, or think you have reached a conclusion, the tables are turned yet again. This is made possible by the complex characters, well developed by Colaizzo and fully realized by their actors. The leads especially – Leigh and Davis, played by Ellis Cox-McAllister and Loic Suberville, respectively – portrayed impressive emotional depth.
Despite the significant drama and weighty themes, the play was well paced, and moved quickly. The audience remained on the edges of their seats with fast paced and witty dialogue that was peppered through the drama and delivered with excellent timing and nonverbals by all actors. The already real moments become even more believable with the sarcastic shrugs and raised eyebrows most college students know all too well.
None of the play’s success can be attributed to one specific element, but the effort, cooperation and sheer talent of everyone involved must be praised. 3rd Act Productions as whole brought “Really Really” to life, giving depth and magnitude to many of the unanswered questions that resonate in all of us, while asking many of its own.
