Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Schenkkan’s play “By the Waters of Babylon” takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride through a day in the life of an Texan widow, her day worker gardener, and their attempted romance. Beginning with nervous humor, “Babylon” runs the gamut by touching on such themes as grief, excitement, desperation and hope.
This two-man, two-act show opens with the widow Catherine (played by Obie Award-winning actress Shannon Cochran) ushering in her temporary gardener Arturo (played by Demian Bichir of “Weeds”).There is, immediately, a sense of anxious chemistry between the pair as nervous jokes are thrown around in an attempt to ease the tension. Schenkkan’s dialogue is quick and dry, playing on the strengths of his solidly developed characters: Arturo, the humble immigrant worker from Cuba, and Catherine, the crazy widow at the end of the block your mom told you to stay away from.
Throughout the two-hour show, Bichir masters the Cuban immigrant’s smooth Latin voice, eased posture and suave mannerisms while Cochran embodies the hyper-tense, over-eager middle-aged widow attempting to mask her loneliness with a nervous smile and edgy laughter.
At the heart of the play is each character’s inability to cope with a traumatic past, leaving them in a state of displacement from society. As Arturo and Catherine attempt to make their way through the present, they find temporary solace in one another, leading to a forced and awkward romance.
While the play rolls smoothly and steadily and engages the audience in Arturo and Catherine’s story, it also hits dramatic speed bumps in an attempt to bring uncharacteristically high drama into the narrative. The plot turns come more as shocks that only distance the audience from the play’s proposed reality instead of drawing them closer.
Amongst the play’s distractions is a completely unnecessary video projection screen backdrop that too easily draws the audience’s attention from the actors during the most critical and emotionally charged scene in the play. Superfluous animations upstage the actors, taking the audience away from what should be some of the more beautiful moments.
Distractions aside, Schenkkan and director Richard Seyd have crafted a moving piece that shows that everyone has a story, even the most displaced members of society.
Although “Babylon” certainly has its funny moments, it is not a play for theater-goers in search of a light-hearted fun ride. Schenkkan deals with heavy issues of loss and trauma as well as the ghosts people face when they begin to wonder if there is anything left to live for.
“Babylon” is a solid show with heart and will leave the audience thinking rather than smiling.
Email Lowe at mlowe@media.ucla.edu.