Sometime between the commands "please turn off your cell phones" and "enjoy the show," the director of the Lyric Stage Company said something very important: "No one has heard of this before," he said. "This is a new play."
And while this was said to encourage the crowd to spread the word about the show, he made a fair and interesting point. This is very much a new play. Fresh, relevant and thought provoking, "Time Stands Still" is both an allegory for life after war and a snapshot of the life of civilians in the midst of it.
The play begins with wartime photojournalist Sarah Goodwin (Laura Letreille), who is returning to her New York City home after being injured in a bomb blast while covering the Iraq War. She and her longtime journalist boyfriend, Jamie (Barlow Adamson), struggle to adjust to life after war. Their lives hint at a strong connection, but their few calm moments together quickly dissolve when Sarah's recent traumatic experiences in Iraq bubble to the surface. Jamie wishes to move on, while Sarah cannot think of anything else. Her brooding on the topic of war and violence charges the play with a dark energy, and Sarah's character reflects this. Her sense of humor is gritty, sarcastic and dark, a perfect balance for her character and situation.
Jamie and Laura are quickly joined by Richard Ehrlich (Jeremiah Kissel) and Mandy Bloom (Erica Spyres). Richard is Sarah's former fling and current best friend, and Mandy is Richard's airheaded, far-too-young girlfriend. Each character brings a different perspective to the solemn issues that Jamie and Laura are grappling with, giving the play another level of richness.
Spyres provides comic relief throughout the show. Mandy's character is a splash of color in all of her scenes, providing both humor and painful insights.
When introduced to Sarah for the first time, she hands her two balloons, claiming she couldn't decide which one to use. She's a constant relief and annoyance; however, much like a Shakespearian fool, Mandy occasionally voices the bitter truths that even Sarah is afraid to say. These moments are especially poignant due to the paradoxical nature of Mandy's character.
The juxtaposition of humor and morbid themes in "Time Stands Still" can make it almost uncomfortable at moments, but all of this conflict makes the play all the more thought-provoking. One character, recalling a play they had seen about conflict in the Middle East, laments that viewers of a play may be touched by the drama, but are rarely driven to action. The irony of this moment does not escape the audience; perhaps the metaphor is even too blatant.
While "Time Stands Still" does not inspire action, it does inspire thought. Sarah and Mandy in particular have the most emotional resonance. The former gives the audience a snapshot of post-traumatic stress disorder, while the latter is a platform for biting satire. Although Adamson and Kissel deliver incredibly strong performances, the women carry the show.
Sarah and Jamie grow almost visibly older during the play. They decide what to do about the future of their relationship, their careers and their relationships with their friends. The actors handle this with grace and subtlety and are compelling to the last minute. The ending is bittersweet; a reminder that, no matter how many times we try to freeze it, life goes on.
The play observes the macro through the micro, taking a small, unchanging set — a house and two couples — and using it to tell the story of an entire group of people shell shocked into action, or in some cases, inaction. In a way, that is exactly what a photo is like — a still frame, a sample of what life holds.
