The Drowning Girls

9.5/10

For a play centered around the tragic death of three women, The Drowning Girls at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre feels alive in a way that is both haunting and beautiful. Part poetry, part play, Drowning Girls is exactly the caliber and type of show that is expected from the ART and it is hard to imagine it in any other space. From the time that the actors solemnly enter until the final curtain, the production is captivating with each intentional movement, word, and pause. All of this leads to a sum that is greater than its already impressive parts.

The theater itself is dark and warm, with three elegant, yet foreboding, tubs greeting the audience from a raised platform. With such a small cast, the set is more than just a backdrop. The actors utilize the bath tubs in such a way that the tubs are transformed into a train, a tea parlor, and doctor's office. Water is a critical element to the story at large and is used creatively to emphasize emotions with slaps to the water and actors submerging below the surface to create the ever-present feeling of loss. The stage is in the round so there is a feeling that the audience is integrated into the story in a way that allows it to get the full picture of each woman's life. Bradley Hicks deserves praise for creating a set that complements the actors and the script without overshadowing anything else on stage.

The lighting design takes an avant-garde approach, alternating between traditional spotlights to eerie blues and foreboding fuscias. In these moments, the actors become ethereal as their white dresses glow. While the show progresses, more and more water ends up on the platform and the lights begin to reflect off those pools to bring the stage to life.

As impressive as the visuals are, the cast is its equal. The three actors are tasked with embodying the titular drowning girls, manifesting several other side characters, each with distinct mannerisms and accents all while surrounded and working in water. All of them should be commended for the immeasurable dedication each exhibits. In particular, Hayley Platt makes a splash in her Gainesville debut as Bessie. Ms. Platt has moments where she locks eyes with the audience in an almost tragic plea, asking them to not look away from her story. In the next moment she shifts gears, seamlessly flowing into a comedic German psychiatrist in one of the other brides' stories while highlighting the misogyny of Victorian era medicine.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this particular show is the humor sprinkled throughout. The exploration of topics such as violence against women, misogyny, and exploitation does not easily lend itself to any moments of respite in the form of humor, especially with a short runtime of 70 minutes. The actors are exceptional at finding their moments to elicit much needed laughter, creating a bond between the audience and the characters and helping to land the emotional gut punch of the story's end.

Ultimately, the blend of production value and acting is close to perfect, rivaling professional productions in the area. The Drowning Girls runs through February 1st at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at acrosstown.org.