A young couple takes a shot at reconciliation. He has been sleeping on the floor of the studio where he paints. She’s been trying to function as an autonomous human being, who nonetheless wants their relationship to work. When he returns, duffle bag and birdcage in hand, he is tentative and eager to get it right. Perhaps his new bird will be company for “Sweetpea” the one they kept before he was shown the door. She sits down with him and suggests they always discuss the “big scaries”: i. e. uncomfortable truths that might sabotage meaningful connection. She also recommends they explore secret fantasies. In this realm they can be all things to each other, without fear.
Initially the situation feels reassuring. So far so good. He is vigilantly deferential and she is considerate, if subtly and (perhaps unintentionally) manipulative. Old habits die gradually. An incident of unwashed spoons (always a hazardous oversight) nearly escalates, but she manages Herculean restraint. The two birds are exploring emotions and boundaries. Sweetpea is touchy and brusque. She’s not used to sharing space. “Buddy” is respectful and ready to step out of her way, when indicated.
Our two winged consorts seem to speak the buried emotions so difficult for our intrepid couple to articulate. It seems impossible to miss that “Sweetpea” is also their safeword. Along the way there are fresh, amusing metaphors. A distinct air of tension lurks behind subdued dialogue. We sense an eruption is waiting, just around the corner. No rainbow and pie here. Mixed signals precipitate a meltdown.
Playwright Janielle Kastner lays out a congenial, conscientious narrative of two kind-hearted souls, trying to salvage a romance informed by grace and warmth. Their strategy begins with flawed (if not uncommon) myths. No lovers can meet every need. Nor should they try. That’s why the world includes say: mothers, sisters, grandads, aunts, buddies, and so on. When he suggests they each take a turn playing mother, for example, it amounts to a red flag that’s ignored. Another blind spot is the understanding that compromise is key. At the risk of creating a litany, we’ll move on.
Laudably, Kastner uncovers the excruciating detail that sends the well-intentioned into a tailspin. She explains almost nothing. But just enough to demonstrate the complicated, messy commitment that intense bonding requires. If the outcome is inevitable, we never know if it was because he and she were unable, or unwilling to hold it together. Too many near misses, too many missed opportunities. Sweetpea is powerful, compelling drama, and boy, is it painful.
Second Thought Theatre presents the world premier of Janielle Kastner’s Sweetpea, playing November 19th- December 11th, 2021. 3400 Blackburn Street (Kalita Humphreys Campus) Dallas, Texas 75219. 214-897-3021. secondthoughttheatre.com