Review: BOUNCE at Strand Theater Company

Heaven forbid a play illuminates dysfunctional religious life, revealing shadows of harm impacting “believers”. But that’s exactly what playwright Somnia Mari Feral does with BOUNCE!

BOUNCE is a must-see production for theatergoers unafraid of touch topics. Through it, Feral offers characters (and audiences) light in darkness, humor in sadness, and hope in adversity.

From the opening scene, it’s clear that BOUNCE is a grown folks’ production. Not simply because characters are forced into situations where they must emphatically declare, “I am grown” to be seen and heard. Rather, it centers the courage to love while addressing the trauma, people, and events that make pursing romantic love a life-long ordeal—rather than a life-long pursuit of happiness.

BOUNCE is a courageous tale with origins in Feral’s life experiences. Her truth telling is raw, authentic, and vulnerable. A key theme is suppressed sexual identity and its years-long effects.

The production comes with content warnings due to its inclusion of themes and topics that may be sensitive for some audiences. Those include discussions of domestic violence, abuse of power, religious trauma/church hurt, and infidelity/adultery. It also includes intense verbal arguments, profanity, and slurs.

It’s a poignant and sometimes humorous production of hope and love (including self-love).  In it, Feral takes the romantic trope love—or lust—at first sight to a new level in BOUNCE by sparking it in the opening scene at. . . a funeral! Cue the music and drama, and outrage.

Directed by Alma Davenport, BOUNCE brings audiences into the life and trauma of attractive single mom Monica, played by Kayah Calhoun. Monica is on the hunt for stability. She’s also on the threshold of a major romantic breakthrough that just might provide it.  Unfortunately, it comes at a time when she’s most vulnerable having recently been released from a medical facility due to a mental health crisis.

Monica has two baby daddies, and on her way to a third when she marries her former pastor, Apostle Gerald, taking on the coveted “First Lady” role of the church. In many respects, Monica is a victim of her own actions and those of others, but Feral has created a laudable character who rises above misfortune.

Calhoun’s task in taking on the role of Monica is especially difficult because of the many nuances related to her character’s life as a single mom in the church who is having a relationship with a church leader. Plus she has long suppressed her sexual identity to do what’s considered “godly” or “right”. Calhoun embraces the challenge, taking audiences on an emotional ride through Monica’s trauma, strengths, weaknesses, marriage, and grit.

Monica’s wish for stability coupled with her vulnerability opens the door for Apostle Gerald, played by Jose Ruffino, to sweep her off her feet. He trounces Monica’s trust on their honeymoon before dropping Monica into his dysfunctional life and household.

Audiences quickly discover their love story is not a match made in heaven. And that’s no surprise as Apostle Gerald initially hit on Monica at his wife’s funeral! He’s more slimy than pastoral, and Ruffino believably—and somewhat humorously—captures Apostle Gerald’s contradictory faith life after the couple’s re-introduction plunges them into a whirlwind romance that exposes corrupt character, secrets, and family drama.

What’s a fractured romance without a bestie who plays the voice of reason? That role falls to Yasmeen Mahdi who plays Rita.

Unlike Monica for most of the production, Rita is tough, confident, outspoken, and resilient.  Rita has no regard for harmful church doctrine, or clergy who abuse their power. She helps Monica clearly identity and reject other characters’ manipulative tactics. They’re friends since way back  and Rita is fiercely protective of Monica. Their relationship is key to BOUNCE’s plot, and audiences learn its depth over time.  It’s s not without controversy or complication, but the women reconcile their differences by play’s end.

Each of the rest of the six-member cast assumes their roles credibly—and in the most maddening ways!

Brent Warren plays Apostle Gerald’s aggrieved son Donte—and does he ever make audiences intensely dislike Donte!  Donte, who is grieving his mother and his father’s remarriage, is frustratingly the spoiled brat we wish would grow up. Yet Warren  compels audiences to consider that, perhaps, his character is not as unreasonable as he initially seems. Perhaps Donte’s heart-felt plea for fatherly attention and a loving home that honors his deceased mother is not too much to ask for.

Bre Starr plays Monica’s overbearing mom Evelyn. She see-saws in her approval of Monica and Monica’s choices. Her redeeming quality? She loves Monica. But she clings to religious expectations that have impacted her daughter’s life since Monica was a teen. That fact makes it hard to cheer for her maternal instincts and actions.

Jessica Adcock plays Glen, the “faithful” church member who has her own secrets.  She seems to be everywhere, all the time—and that’s not good news, as audiences discover.

BOUNCE sparks soul-searching for its characters—and audiences. It raises questions about grief, specifically when and how long should someone grieve before pursuing another love interest? Other questions: is it possible to authentically love someone while denying one’s sexual identity? Why is infidelity tolerated in some religious settings and should someone endure/ignore it out of religious obligation? And is it ever too late to “bounce”—leave—and reclaim one’s life? BOUNCE doesn’t provide religiously correct answers to any of those—thank God!

BOUNCE also is a wonderful example of art imitating life and how a playwright can use the stage to spark needed discussion and exploration of life’s toughest situations. Expect some stereotypical characters arcs and church situations, but those are skillfully employed by playwright Feral to expose the harm stemming from the themes she penned.

BOUNCE  is the final production in the Strand Theater Company’s 18th season dubbed “In Her Entirety.” Again, because of its themes, BOUNCE does come with content warnings, available on the theater’s website.

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