In Upstream Theater’s unflinching season closer, a simple platform standing in for a sandbank, clusters of grass, a window fragment and long rolling clouds greet audiences walking into The Marcelle’s black box. But what plays out onstage is a surreal confrontation with a looming heartache that hangs over anyone who’s ever loved.
After washing up on an island after a brutal boating accident, Robyn (Lizi Watt) is primarily concerned with her girlfriend, Helen (Michelle Hand), and if she’s okay. Both of them seem to be in shock. Helen is soaking wet and surging with adrenaline at their survival while Robyn is disoriented and nauseous. How did they get here? Through their attempts to try to figure out exactly where they are and how they’ll find a way home, we get the sense that the island they’re marooned on is not exactly temporal.
