Photo by Tim Matheson
Review by Issie Patterson
In a play centered around environmental activism and one of its heroes, an audience can generally expect discouraging statistics and brooding monologues delivered in front of images of devastated natural resources. Marine Life, directed by Diane Brown, provides these things nice and neatly, but also throws in sharp humour, impromptu mariachi music, cocaine, and one of the most intentionally unlikable male love interests ever to grace the stage.
Set in modern-day Vancouver, Marine Life opens with environmental activist Sylvia (Christine Quintana) getting quite literally hooked by arrogant, city-slicker lawyer Rupert (Sebastien Archibald), who is ineptly trying to fish. Their encounter is a slightly atypical meet-cute, considering the awkward follow-up where Rupert apologetically plucks his fish hook from Sylvie’s neck (she happily takes the opportunity to remind him how unethical fishing is). The opening is pure rom-com gold: a passionate environmental activist falls in love with the guy who doesn’t give a shit about the environment. Standing alone, that story would become trite and boring quickly, but playwright Rosa Labordé merely sets their romance up as one of the many moving pieces in a complex story of identity, environment, and lost causes.
While Rupert and Sylvie maintain an entertaining ongoing banter about everything from their relationship to the harmfulness of drinking from plastic water bottles, Sylvie’s brother, Juan, (Alen Dominguez) joins in with his distinct brand of chaotic energy. Often, he pulls out his guitar to serenade his sister with an improvised guitar piece, flipping easily between English and Spanish. Sylvie actively resists speaking Spanish throughout the story due to unhappy memories associated with their Mexican father, but the Spanish sprinkled throughout the dialogue is an unexpected bonus in an already entertaining piece.
Although Dominguez’ performance is easily one of the strongest aspects of the piece, the only weak spot in Marine Life is its at times undeveloped portrayal of mental health. Juan’s mental illness is never truly defined or explained but remains frustratingly surface-level, with Sylvie’s scolding prompts of “Have you taken your pills today?”
Marine Life is refreshing in its approach to informing audiences about unpleasant truths. Playwright Labordé manages to interweave information about the devastating effects of excessive plastic waste on marine life into the narrative without the characters or play ever coming off as pedantic. This is in part due to the very believable passion that Quintana invests in her character. Sylvie’s monologues about environmental activism are always lively and impassioned, never preachy.
The play thrives when all three actors are together onstage. Their chemistry is so intoxicating that it’s impossible not to be completely engaged. Although Marine Life has plenty of serious moments, they are interspersed with escalating flights of absurdist humor. In one scene, Rupert arrives at Sylvie and Juan’s house in a full wetsuit and flippers, determined to prove that he truly cares for the fish as much as Sylvie does. As the visit descends quickly into a showdown between the two men, Rupert flops around the stage in full diving gear, his anger quickly turned hilarious. Marine Life is an excellent case study in proving that a play centered around environmental activism can be as funny and charming as it is informative.
Marine Life runs until March 23
Issie Patterson is a writer and musician from Toronto and Nova Scotia. Her original stage plays have been performed in Halifax and Vancouver, most recently, Wayne Gretzky Never Takes It Black in the Cascadia Project on Granville Island. She is the songwriter and lead guitarist in the Vancouver rock band Swamp Romance, and also composes soundtracks for short films. Issie is currently completing her MFA in creative writing at the University of British Columbia.