REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
Stray Cat Theatre's thoughtfully cast production of Liliana Padilla's sometimes uncomfortable drama How to Defend Yourself grabs you with its emotional honesty. Set at a college self-defense class, the play brings together a group of young women and two male allies grappling with fear, anger, confusion, and resilience in the aftermath of a sexual assault on their campus. While I have a few small issues with the play, the ensemble approaches the difficult material with sensitivity and commitment in a smartly directed production that feels both intimate and unsettling.
Padilla's script tackles important and difficult themes concerning sex and sexual assault with unflinching honesty. The play doesn't just offer an exploration of how people can defend themselves in an attack, but also explores consent in all its complexities, as well as the challenges young people face when learning how to safely explore their sexuality. The idea of control is examined from multiple perspectives, showing how empowerment for one person may look entirely different for another. The script also delves into how shame and guilt can distort and impact a person's beliefs and also shape how individuals view their own desires and boundaries.
The cast does strong work bringing these somewhat complex characters to life. Christine Ward is fantastic as Brandi, the powerful instructor of the class, who we discover struggles with her own trauma surrounding the attack while she does everything she can to protect her inner vulnerability. Mantra Rostami and Meghan Ramos are equally good as freshmen friends Mojdeh and Diana, who see the class as a stepping stone to get into Brandi's sorority but come to realize their actions and desires may not be aligned.
Hanna Nur brings a boldness to Brandi's sorority sister Kara that also masks her feelings about sex and the assault, while Angelica Saario offers a complex mix of vulnerability and inner strength as the quiet observer Nikki. Payten Christopher McLeod and Griffin Slivka are very good in their depictions of fraternity brothers Eggo and Andy. McLeod expertly shows Eggo's frustration and confusion with a past sexual encounter while Slivka appropriately tries a little too hard to show that Andy is an ally, especially when he reveals he witnessed something unsettling when the attack happened.
Elizabeth Broeder's direction clearly delineates the characters. The static staging on Eric Beeck's set of a small room in a gym allows the audience to feel like participants in the class. Stacey Walston's lighting and the sound design by Jacob Nichols are used thoughtfully to underscore emotional shifts and distinguish between moments of realism and heightened theatricality. The costumes by Jessie Tully are age and character appropriate. Maren Maclean Mascarelli's fight and intimacy choreography ensures those moments feel entirely authentic.
How to Defend Yourself is not always an easy play to watch and you will most likely have questions about some of the characters, their actions, and exactly what to take away from the ending, but it is an important and compelling drama. Stray Cat Theatre's production embraces both the discomfort and the humanity at the heart of Padilla's script. The emotional honesty in the piece makes for a powerful theatrical experience.