Cygnet presents JOB in the Dottie Studio Theater
I have a lot of thoughts, but I am just starting to write this “in the raw,” so we will see, dear reader… first, hello! It has been almost a month since I wrote my last review in English, ay! I was in Tijuana at the CECUT’s International Theatre Encuentro the first week of October and went back to “all in Spanish” settings, so if my brain is usually all over the place, you can imagine it now with this stimulation.
Alrighty, JOB at Cygnet. Like the kids would say. I don’t consider myself a “rollercoaster girlie,” but this play had me feeling like I was in the Guardians of the Galaxy Drop Tower at California Adventure for the full 80 minutes. A two-hander with no intermission, it is not for the weak. Written by Max Wolf Friedlich and debuting just two years ago on Broadway, I always say how exciting it is to have new plays in San Diego after their stroll on the East Coast. The story takes place at a psychologist’s office during a therapy session. Loyd (Jacob Bruce) conducts his first session with Jane (Caroline Gottlieb), a Bay Area tech professional who had a triggering episode at work. She has been sent to therapy in order to get better and hopefully go back to work. But would that really be the best outcome for Jane?
The play’s director, Hannah Meade, shared a pertinent and insightful director’s note in the program, mentioning that she turned 20 in 2016. Now in her thirties, like the playwright, JOB is a reflection from youth to the world in a time when we are bombarded by information, fake news, AI trolling, and constant exposure to violence. Because the Dottie Studio is an intimate space where the audience surrounds the stage, everything feels palpable. Meade took the playwright’s “in your face” style and paired it with Steven Leffue’s bold, booming sound design, which goes hand in hand with Annelise Schultz-Salazar’s pulsating lighting. Everything is happening at once: the dialogues, the sound, the lights, all together in a provoking but thrilling manner. The blocking keeps Jacob and Caroline facing each other for almost the entire time. Jacob is articulate and intense as Loyd, while Caroline gives a chilling, calculated performance as the psychotic Jane. The nonstop rhythm, with both actors, worked with the theatre’s different angles, making it feel like each side got a different dose of intensity.
The set design by Audrey Casteris of Loyd’s office, having the basics like the desk and the couch, had elevated, hanging bookshelves on the sides of the stage (plants included), which not only gave the therapy vibe, but also a wall feel that was very theatrical. Hannah Meade also handled the wardrobe, keeping it relatable with jeans, loafers, and everyday wear.
JOB explores various premises, sentiments, and modern realities that will prompt audiences to reflect and question. I believe the creative elements of this play, beyond being in sync, also had a thread that created good, thrilling, and yes, even provoking theatre. Audiences will be left analyzing it in the parking lot and on their way home.
Currently playing until November 1. Caleb Cook is the Stage Manager, with Angel Page Smigielski as Assistant Stage Manager.
Sashank Kanchustambam was the Assistant Director.
