A hilarious and honest look at how addiction can turn not just the person who is addictive to those around them as they all learn to cope. A sibling relationship that stretches the themes of having your back while learning to trust that even the times when it seems bleak you are not alone.
Ship was super hilarious if I must say so. With that being said this is not a play for anyone under the age of 16 (my personal recommendation) and there are a lot of adult themes discussed. A lot of language is used but in a good way to showcase humor of the struggle Nell is having as she is learning how to live with her addiction and matriculate herself back in her life. Nell is on this journey to make things pop in her life and while she is doing so she has some interesting encounters starting with Jeremiah. Jeremiah who once was attempting to grow the longest nails and get into the Guinness World Book of Record. In his “failure” you learn a lot more about Nell. Jeremiah comes in and opens and I use that word almost literally Nell to this soon to be refreshing relationship.
Through their interactions she is struggling to understand Jeremiah, but he isn’t as forth coming with his hang ups. You know Nell was in rehab for her addiction or some might call her co-dependency but if you aren’t careful you miss Jeremiah’s codeoendcy. He too is learning a new way of being seen without the nails be the focus.
Enter Caitlin the sister of Nell. She is there but not sure of how much progress Nell has made. She’s encouraging in her way but is she misjudging Nell? Thinking about my own siblings I know for a fact that there have been times where I meant well in my pursuit of being there, but I probably misfired in that pursuit. Being there sometimes is a trust and give pull back that Caitlinis working on. If you have ever been around someone who has been in rehab the biggest thing is rebuilding trust. I know in my family I have dealt with the stigma that becomes those who are addicts. Every step they take is on display. Are they clean? What are you doing? Who are you with? Where are you going? Nothing is ever as it seems on both spectrums. Nell is desperateto show Caitlin that she’s a changed woman, but Caitlin has been there and seen that and is reluctant to see her differently.
Although not a character that is present is Nell’s relationship of her mother. Her mother comes off as someone who isn’t there due to her battling her own sickness. Are Nell and her mom one in the same? You ever want to be so much like your parent that you end of being the same? Have you ever tried to prove how much growth you have that the same complaint you have of another person is almost identical to your own? Ship has winds and turns you weren’t expecting but the ride is most important. Ship gives new meaning to changing lives.
Ship is in town until March 15 at the Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, 302 Hicks Street. Written by Douglas Williams it’s a great addition to Azuka Theatre’s circuit of amazing plays. This season’s sponsors are Harmelin Media and Ship’s Honorary Producers David and Linda Glickstein. Tickets can be reserved here!
The cast includes:
Annie Fang as Nell
Alison Ormsby as Caitlin
Michael A. Stahler as Jeremiah
Note that the production is 90 minutes long with no intermission. This is a truly intimate piece so if you aren’t seated on time of the production, they may not be able to seat you. Trust me its truly inspiring and the work that the actors and actresses put on it would be a shame to miss it. I suggest arriving about 20 minutes before your scheduled show. To the entire cast and production of Ship you did an amazing show of showing isolation, pain, fun, and redemption with this piece. As a child of an addict this hit home and I appreciated you keeping the piece very closely related to the real struggle of addiction but keeping it light enough as well that I felt such positive afterwards. To those struggling with this very real sickness know you are loved, human, and still worthy of honor.
Thank you to Azuka Theatre for having me and for Aversa PR for always arranging my time at this wonderful piece. Go out and see Ship and experience this one of a kind piece for yourself. Tickets can be reserved here. Thank you to Two Roads Brewing for being an amazing sponsor. Oh, and by the way your hard seltzer was great. I must try other flavors.
