Stonefish: Darkness and Light Play at Greenbelt Arts Center

Smith has brought her newest offering to the Greenbelt Arts Center under the aegis of the Coil Project. Stonefish is a very dark play, very intelligently written. With her trademark snappy oneliners, hip drollery and modern knowingness, Smith depicts a family traumatized by a heinous crime perpetrated by Dixon, twin brother of Mason. Twin sister Mason, younger brother Lewis and father Stan must grapple with the toxic seepage caused by Dixon’s baffling violence. Each copes, grieves and blames in his or her own way. It’s an intense, draining but illuminating experience. Co-producer Eric Cline says that the play tries to answer the question, “What makes someone a monster and what does it mean to be able to forgive him?” Director David Dieudonne says that Stonefish “does what theater should do: spark a conversation or make you pick up a phone to tell somebody ‘I love you.’” Every cast member is rock solid and deserves kudos. Matt Baughman as Christopher, the family friend and piano teacher who is tentatively in love with Mason, is sensitive and convincing. Sean Butler as the father, Stan, is excellent as a stabilizing influence, though he himself is suffering terribly. Ren Stone is the vulnerable, agoraphobic younger brother, Lewis, who hasn’t left the house in four years. The biggest challenge falls to Amanda Zeitler, who plays both twins, Mason and Dixon.
She switches instantly from female to male and vice versa, when the lighting dims to signal a gender change. She is on stage for almost every scene of the play’s 90 minutes and is sensitive, curious, searching, lovelorn Mason one moment and troubled, desperate, murderous Dixon the next. Zeitler answers the challenge beautifully. Smith is too smart a writer to immerse the audience in unrelenting tragedy. Comic relief comes when Christopher and Mason finally kiss, awkwardly and passionately. And agoraphobic Lewis ends the play on a brilliant, optimistic note. A near full house saw this harrowing but heartening exploration of the mystery of evil on opening night. Repeat performances are on Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, January 20 at 2 p.m