Review: BOXES ARE FOR WHAT WE KEEP by Ghostbird Theatre Company

Ghostbird Theatre Company's latest show, BOXES ARE FOR WHAT WE KEEP by Barry Cavin, tells the tale of two fish through three short plays. Though these three plays all tell the same story in some capacity, the audience's perspective shifts through each one, encouraging you to question your own "boxes" you place upon yourself and other people, and what you hold onto. Ghostbird's productions are always incredibly intricate and layered, and this show was no different.

In Part 1 of BOXES ARE FOR WHAT WE KEEP, brothers Earl and Otmer, played by Terry Tincher and Jim Brock, respectively, capture two talking fish, who they believe are monsters. While Otmer wants to eat these creatures, Earl plots to make money off of them. When the two fish, Knee (Scott Michael) and Nose (Katelyn Gravel), realize they can escape their boxes and return home, thanks to a blunt girl named Tina (Gabrielle Lansden), Nose becomes hesitant and chooses to remain captive. This story symbolizes our own metaphorical boxes and what we choose to keep holding onto despite those choices perhaps not being the best for us. This part is the most straightforward, making it perfect to start this show off with, and I really enjoyed the comedic aspects of it. Brock and Tincher were the perfect pair of brothers, and they played their personalities perfectly; Brock's Otmer was more aloof and optimistic, and Tincher's Earl is a bit more cynical and devious, to a degree. I also appreciated the contrast between the brothers and the more eloquent Knee and Nose.

Part 2 twists how the audience feels about the choices of the "fish" in a more serious play. Katelyn Gravel and Jim Brock return, this time as Rebekah and Abraham, with Abraham holding onto his box because of the comfort it brings him. Whereas in Part 1 the audience wants Nose to break out of her box, in Part 2 it's hard to not want Abraham to have the box that appears quite dear to him. When Stella Ruiz appears as Jacob and tells Rebekah and Abraham the story of the fish, perspective again shifts; Rebekah and Abraham become the audience, and Jacob the performer. I found it so very clever that they were able to take the story of the fish as told in the first part and complicate it in a way that makes you dig through not only the different truths of the separate parts but also the truths of your own creation.

Part 3 introduces the audience to a woman (Stella Ruiz) sitting in a box, talking to a psychologist (Dan De La Rosa). She tells the story of the fish, but once again from a different perspective. She connects this part back to the first by telling the story of the fish once more, and it is implied that she was a witness to the first part; perhaps Tina? I very much appreciated how full-circle this show was. So many aspects of each part were intertwined, and part of the fun is seeing how they all connect and change.

One of the best parts of seeing Ghostbird's productions is getting to unpack the symbolism afterward. There is so much thought and nuance put into every single show they bring to life, and you truly never know what to expect. Ghostbird also always finds a way to create very site-specific plays, using locations such as the Happehatchee Center and Koreshan State Park. Ghostbird Theatre Company is something beyond unique in Southwest Florida, and I highly suggest making an effort to see any of their upcoming productions.

Ghostbird's next production, EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN by Jim Brock, takes place in January at the SWFL Community Foundation Collaboratory in Fort Myers. Check out http://www.ghostbirdtheatrecompany.org for more information and tickets!

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