Stage Review - Crave (Intiman Theatre)
Stage Review - Crave
Presented By: Intiman Theatre - Seattle, WA
Show Run: February 11 - March 02, 2025
Date Reviewed: Friday, February 14, 2025
Run Time: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
When I review a play, I typically go into it with two minds, with both sides of my brain engaged. The artistic side of my brain looks at the construction of the piece and the production, the emotion that both work together to conjure, and the quality of the performances presented. At the same time, the analytical side of my brain, the one that likes puzzles, spends the play studying each character, trying to understand their motivations, their connections, relationships, backstories, as well as the overarching narrative, the thread that connects them all. Sometimes, though, I find that I need to check that analytical side of my brain at the door, let the art wash over me, and let the emotional impact of it be the story. Such is the case with Sarah Kane’s Crave, a play that is returning to Intiman theatre after having a run there a number of years ago, in a production that involves many from the original team that put the show up twenty years ago and is running on stage at the Erickson Theatre on the campus of Seattle Central College through March 2.
The play is designed to be the performing arts equivalent to abstract art. it involves four characters, simply named “A”, “B”, “C”, and “M”. The structure of the play is non-linear, meaning that as each of the characters speak, their lines aren’t necessarily in any specific chronological order, nor is the audience always certain to whom the lines are directed. There are points in the play when certain conversations make sense in the traditional sense, but hearing the lines spoken is akin to Shakespeare, it takes a bit to figure out what’s happening before a level of comprehension is attained. Kane designed it this way, though, so that the audience would never be sure what it was entirely about. The character “names” have meanings to the playwright, and while she could have named them, or assigned a specific monicker to the initials, she refused, because she didn’t want to box the audience into a particular understanding. She wanted much of this to be left to the audience. And so it is. Crave is not for everyone. For those who are looking for a narrative that is easy to ingest, that makes sense with character arcs that teach you something, or have a redemptive quality, this show is not for you. Rather, if you’re looking to be challenged emotionally, and I’m not referring to more superficial, maybe surface is the better word, emotions like anger, sadness, joy, etc., but rather more primal, more instinctive emotions, the kind that more attributable to our animal instincts as opposed to our humanity, than this is your show. Crave is a heavy show, it’s a thinking show, but it must be absorbed, the best way to take it in is to let it wash over you. Discussions about story or message can be done later, and in those conversations will come understanding. And I’m sure that what Crave is about or what it means to each audience member will differ and be up for debate, and that being the case means mission accomplished for Sarah Kane.
What isn’t up for debate, though, is the production and presentation quality of the Crave from Intiman. Directed by Roger Benington, Intiman’s crave is striking, the audience’s view of the four actors like peering into their lives through a department store display window, with a pool of water in between that window and those watching, serving to both reflect those raw emotions out and later to provide a redemptive quality to their conditions. It’s an excellent design by Jennifer Zeyl, and with lighting from Jessica Trundy that starts softer but turns more stark as the emotion of the play turns darker and more raw, and sound from Matt Starritt that accompanies the other design elements with an underlying feeling of dread, and heavy, percussive interludes between scenes, it works wonderfully. Roger’s vision, along with Jennifer’s scenic design feels like the perfect match for what this show is trying to accomplish, all of the components tie into the rawness of the play’s content.
The other half of the presentation piece of Crave is this cast of four incredibly skilled actors, Lathrop Walker as “A”, Marya Sea Kaminski as “C”, Christopher Morson as “B”, and Alexandra Tavares as “M”. As I mentioned, the dialogue is delivered in a non-linear way, and what that requires of these actors is that they perform their lines quickly and in a way that keeps the audience guessing, in many instances, to whom they’re being delivered. This quartet is quick, and for the most part it does seem like there are two pairs, A and C, and B and M, with one pair not even acknowledging the other, though sometimes, when it seems it’s figured out, someone from the other pair will answer a question from the first. There are clearly relationships among them, and stories, and they do begin to flesh out as the play progresses, but the dialogue comes fast and heavy, and the play itself is less than an hour in length, so when I say that it’s best to just let it wash over you and try and figure it out later, this is why I mention that. It’s too fast, too short, and too much structured like a mind map to try and discern it in real time. What is clear, though, is the quality of delivery, regardless of the method. Lathrop, as “A” has some of the longest and most emotionally varied monologues, and his conveyance is done with pinpoint precision, almost jaw-droppingly good. His character is clearly troubled, and struggling to come to terms with a love that seems unrecoverable, amid acts that he’s perpetrated that he’s also trying to live with. Meanwhile, Marya’s “C” has an overwhelming sadness about her, a mental anguish that has her on the verge of doing something drastic, but not wanting any help in the matter. Christopher’s “B” and Alexandra’s “M” have a back and forth that is at times tense, at times slightly humorous (frankly the only place to find humor in the play is some of the offhanded comments from Alexandra’s “M”), but both are clearly troubled themselves, and their issues with self translate into angst within their relationships. These are four troubled characters, dealing in very heavy subject matter, and four actors that don’t hold anything back in their performances making Crave the raw, uninhibited play that Sarah Kane intended it to be.
Crave, produced by Intiman Theatre, should probably have a disclaimer attached to it. It’s most definitely not for the faint of heart, and not designed for all audiences. If you’re the kind of theatre goer that wants a nicely packaged story, that makes sense emotionally and doesn’t require a lot of thought or discussion, Crave will not be your cup of tea. But if you like to be challenged, especially emotionally, by a play that asks you to check your analytical mind at the door and let its words and artistic elements flow over and through you, then Crave may just be what your looking for. It’s a challenging play from a unique playwright, but where this piece excels is in its production and presentation, it’s just a beautifully told piece of performance art.
Crave, produced by Intiman Theatre, runs on stage at the Erickson Theatre on the campus of Seattle Central College through March 2. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.intiman.org/.
Photo credit: Joe Moore
