Review: LAST SUMMER AT BLUEFISH COVE at Fountain Theatre

Classic lesbian dramedy LAST SUMMER AT BLUEFISH COVE has been relaunched on its fortieth anniversary at the same theater where it debuted and ran for two consecutive years. Focusing on a group of friends and lovers in 1974 over the course of one fateful summer, Jane Chambers’ play was one of the first to profile healthy and happy queer women.

Which is not to say they are without their problems, many of which come to the surface when Eva (Lindsay LaVanchy), a straight woman who has just left her husband, rents a nearby house in the same enclave on Long Island where the others spend their summers. Lillian (Ann Sonneville), a blunt but warm woman, introduces Eva to the circle by mistaking her for a lesbian; Eva, on her own for the first time in her life, is happy to have a friend and cheerfully, if awkwardly accepts, sending ripples throughout the group.

Chambers she does a fine job delineating most of them. Closeted feminist author Kitty (Sarah Scott Davis), wealthy heiress Sue (Stasha Surdyke), her young girlfriend, spoiled Donna (Stephanie Pardi), and Lillian’s college best friend, Annie (Noelle Messier) are complex and unique in both the way the roles are written and in how they are performed. Annie’s partner, Rae (Ellen D. Williams), and Kitty’s partner, Rita (Tamika Katon-Donegal), however, are thinly sketched, playing not much more than sounding boards for the other characters. The actors are good and infuse them with warmth, but they would be better served with more robust parts.

Lillian and Eva, the main characters around which the drama revolves, in particular are rich and fully drawn. Springboarding from that foundation, Sonneville displays an earthy sexiness, fully inhabiting her role with a naturalness that is difficult to express. She makes it look easy, giving her character both a steeliness and a vulnerability, sometimes in the same moment. She stands out in an ensemble of talented actors. LaVanchy is her match, skillfully embodying awkwardness and hesitance as her Eva embarks on a life of her own, finding herself.

Performed in The Fountain Theatre’s parking lot on a handsome set by Desma Murphy, including Lillian’s house, a dock and a firepit, audience members are required to wear headsets to block out the sounds of the city, planes, traffic, helicopters. It works fairly well, though there were a couple of glitches with the sound, and some of the dialogue sounded tinny. Director Hannah Wolf makes great use of the space, moving focus from spot to spot fluidly. She clearly understands the fabric of the script, the relationships between the women, which is the crux of the project. It’s character-driven and she allows them to shine.

Unlike most stories told about the LGBT community back then, this isn’t about homophobia, about the terror of coming out to loved ones, or about self-destruction or self-hatred. Chambers creates normalcy of life for her characters, and that makes them relatable to everyone. We know these women. We ARE these women.

LAST SUMMER AT BLUEFISH COVE is performed at The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., through August 27. Tickets are available at (323) 663-1525 and FountainTheatre.com.

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