You'll like getting soaked by Three Days of Rain

You'll like getting soaked by Three Days of Rain

by Miryam Gordon - SGN A&E Writer Three Days of Rain By Richard Greenberg Directed by Aimee Bruneau Starring Sheila Daniels, Evan Whitfield and Peter Dylan O'Connor Seattle Public Theater Through February 24 Three Days of Rain refers to a journal entry (not "diary entry," because diaries are for women and journals are for men) written by a taciturn architect father whose children are so unfamiliar with him that they think it's a weather report. The play is an enigmatic, lovely unfolding of family relationships and a mystery. Why was Theo so upset while taking a walk in the park? Who actually came up with the ideas for the architectural tour-de-force home that sent their reputation into the stratosphere? The three actors in this delicate and absorbing study play double roles. In the first act, Sheila Daniels, Peter Dylan O'Connor and Evan Whitfield play a brother and sister, Walker (Whitfield) and Nan (Daniels), and a best childhood friend, Pip (Peter Dylan O'Connor). Their father died a year ago and Walker has finally come back from disappearing for a year so they can get the legal details of the will taken care of. This is set in 1995. Walker and Nan have a complicated brother/sister relationship and reflect the personalities of their parents: Nan, like her father (Ned), more taciturn and reflective; Walker, like his mother (Lina), who is described as "crazy" and Walker's behavior is also described as "crazy." Pip is the son of Theo and has grown up with them. Theo was Ned's partner in the architecture firm that made them famous. The most famous building they built was a home commissioned by Ned's parents. It is described as luminous and giving the impression of water in the liquidity of the light streaming through the rooms. Neither Ned nor Theo ever told who was responsible for the creativity embodied by the home. Walker now feels as if his whole life depends on owning the home and receiving it as his legacy from his father. Pip appears as the most psychologically stable of the three, even though we learn that his father died when Pip was three. There are journal entries from Ned in 1963 saying things like "Theo dying. Theo dying. Theo dead." More proof to his children of how completely incapable Ned was of expressing himself. The second act focuses on 1960, the year that the journal entries start. Now we see Lina (pronounced "Lie-na"), Theo (O'Connor) and Ned (Whitfield), as young adults starting out. This is when the secrets are revealed. We are privileged to see their complex relationships unfold and find out the real meaning of "three days of rain." All three actors give everything they have to these roles. All are experienced thespians, so their combined power is considerable. Sheila Daniels gives subtle nuance to each of her two characters. Evan Whitfield has the most dramatic character shift, from the "crazy" brother to the taciturn and stuttering father, and brings each to life. It's easy to see his skill on stage, since the characters could not be more different. Peter Dylan O'Connor provides strong support in his two roles, though, if one were to nitpick, he could have differentiated them a bit more. If I had to pick characters I enjoyed more, it would be the friends in the second act. Their motivations and inner lives are the fullest and most revealed. But part of that fullness, I think, is because we get the answers we're wondering about during intermission. The set, by Dan Schuy, is spare and subtle, with some very nicely thought out "outdoor" areas that bring the actors into the audience in their entrances and exits. This gives the play more depth of area. Lighting by Andrew Smith, sound by Evan Middlesworth and costumes by Zoey Green don't draw attention to themselves, which for me is a good thing. I like it when the technical aspects blend to create the right atmosphere without saying, "Look how nice my lights are!" Director Aimee Bruneau had her hands full with all these strong characters and actors. Her production is very satisfying and gives a warm feeling to walk back out into the rain with. For more information, go to www.seattlepublictheater.org or call 206-524-1300. Comments on reviews go to sgncritic@gmail.com.