Review: A Solid Production of SECOND SKIN Perfectly Fits Like a Glove

SECOND SKIN/by Kristin Idaszak/directed by Kate Jopson/on the beach in front of the Annenberg Beach House/thru May 15, 2016

Kristin Idaszak's SECOND SKIN receives a strong and novel mounting on the sands of the Santa Monica Beach. Fueled by the powerful performances of Sarah Halford, Claire Kaplan and Susannah Rea-Dowling, Idaszak weaves the mythical bedtime stories and real life tales of a daughter and her estranged mother dying of ALS. With a set designed by Mother Nature herself and lit only by battery- run lanterns post-sunset, director Kate Jopson keeps her talented trio spilling their guts at a steady pace. How strangely eerie, but effective to have the actresses running out of the circle within the seated audience and towards the shore wired with their body mikes allowing the audience to continue hearing their rantings.

Show begins with Rea-Dowling as daughter Quinn. Rae-Dowling mesmerizes and entrances with her intertwining storytelling of the Celtic folktales of Selkies (half-human, half-seal), her vivid recounting of her trying childhood being raised by her mentally unstable mother Segrid and the revelation of Segrid's fatal disease. Rea-Dowling convincingly modulates her enthusiasm with her rebelliousness and her helplessness.

Kaplan's a manic, hyper Segrid. Very protective of, but emotionally shut down to her daughter. Incidents that led up to her distancing from Quinn surfaces.

Halford inhabits her role of Ashland, Segrid's sister no one even knew existed. Of course, with Ashland's addition version of the family history filling in Segrid's blanks, current situations make sense (if you believe in folktales, that is.)

Ingenious choice of The West and The Flagship Ensemble to produce Idaszak's piece (with integral elements of water) actually near the wave-crashing shoreline. Do dress warmly, very warmly as the Santa Monica Beach can get very cold after sunset.

www.theflagshipensemble.com