By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
It goes without saying that the pandemic changed pretty much everything for everyone – from daily routines to relationships. Local playwright Robert Benjamin explores the pandemic’s impacts, specifically for two individuals – in his virtual play, “Hunker Down”.
“Hunker Down” is a romantic comedy that will be performed Live-on-Zoom by PlayZoomers, a non-profit theatre company, May 5-7.
The play shines the spotlight on two senior citizens who, prior to 2020, were never close disliked each other. During an hour-long conversation, the two individuals – played by Howard Raik and Carolyn Wickwire – reveal their loneliness also but see a chance for friendship and maybe even something more.
While Zoom is an unconventional performance setting, Benjamin cleverly wove into it into his script because the two scenes of the play are Zoom conversations between his two characters.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, during the lockdown … I started writing this play, intending for it to be on stage and then it became very clear to me … that the pandemic was not going away any time soon. I had to stop in my tracks and think, maybe there’s a better way to do this,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin said the actors enjoyed working virtually.
“I think they enjoy the fact that it’s a new experience for them,” he said. “Actors are used to being on stage or film. It is not the same as a film. In a Zoom play, you have to keep going, you have to know the characters, the lines and the play. You can’t stop and start. That’s challenging for actors, and I found that they enjoy it.”
Writing for a virtual stage instead of a physical one also was an adjustment for Benjamin.
“When I am writing a stage play, I am writing stage direction – where actors are moving, what props they are holding … there’s a lot of body language on the stage that tells the audience what’s happening,” he said. “We don’t have that on Zoom. It puts a greater burden on the language – the language has to tell the whole story. IT’s just the words and facial expressions. It’s a much more restrictive medium that way.”
What is great, however, is that Zoom allows for audience feedback. Benjamin said that at the end of the performances, viewers will be invited to share their thoughts and interpretations about the production.
Benjamin added that he has really enjoyed working with Raik and Wickwire as well as Director Duchess Dale and PlayZoomers.
He explained it is the first time he has worked with the theatre company and “it’s been a wonderful experience. It is a terrific theatre company that is really dedicated to serving their audience. It has been a super pleasure work with PlayZoomers.”
The play’s subject is also special to Benjamin.
“It’s special because these are difficult times because of the pandemic and everything else that is going on and by being able to work with characters that are also working on these issues in way that is different than how I would deal (with them) is really fun for me,” he said. “These characters start out the play disliking each other … when the pandemic comes, they have to figure out if there’s some way they can come to a friendship of some sorts.”
“It’s a great opportunity for people who don’t like each to try to figure out a way to be kind … so they can come together in some kind of friendship to get through the loneliness of the pandemic,” Benjamin added.
That, he said, “is really special to me … to have characters transform themselves and each other to reach a common goal.”
“Hunker Down” will be performed 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 5; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6 and 1 p.m. Sunday, May 7. To purchase tickets, to https://www.eventbrite.com/o/
For more information on PlayZoomer, go to https://www.playzoomers.org or email playzoomers@gmail.com
Check out the trailer for ‘Hunker Down’. Courtesy video/PlayZoomers
