In many ways, In The Secret Sea is an old-time domestic drama, not unlike Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. The action takes place between two sets of couples; there is enough conflict to go around without the harrowing complication which pulls them apart and, ultimately, brings them together. The setting is Easter Sunday, in the living room of an affluent Connecticut family. The steel blue walls reflect a level of studied calm which is mirrored by the comfortable light brown sofa and easy chair, the old-fashioned clock on the wall, and the full drapes which cover the large windows. In the corner stands a bar stocked with bottles, emblematic of the waspy couple who equate hospitality with having a few, and often more than a few, drinks with guests. Gil (Paul Carlin) and Joyce (Glynnis O’Connor) have been roped into having the holiday in their home this year. Joyce complains that their son Kenny (Adam Petherbridge) has married into a family of opportunists who calculated that their daughter would be economically advantaged by having what they were sure was a wealthy husband. After all, as an only child, Kenny is being groomed to take over his father’s successful real estate firm. And wasn’t Kenny’s bride pregnant when they married? Joyce is sure she was. On top of this, Kenny’s mother-in-law, Audrey (Shelly Burch) looks down on Joyce because she doesn’t work, and, therefore has much more time on her hands than Audrey. Joyce flat-out doesn’t cook and has had everything catered. And doesn’t Audrey’s husband Jack (Malachy Cleary) have a drinking problem? Gil admits that he misses having father/son time with Kenny, and that the holidays make him feel melancholy. Joyce believes in keeping a stiff upper lip and not giving in to what she considers negative emotions. She also believes in separate bedrooms, which her husband feels isolates them from one another. Why didn’t they have more kids? Joyce and Gil are a well-put-together, attractive, white-haired couple who have real issues. But chilly Joyce prefers not to discuss them, and Gil seems to be falling prey to middle-age depression. They’ve just returned from church; she enjoys going, he professes to be an atheist. When Kenny comes to the house without his wife, they’re both happy to spend time alone with their precious son. But he’s obviously deeply troubled, and what he tells them about the child his wife is expecting destroys the carefully plotted tranquility of the surroundings. When his in-laws arrive and Kenny retires to take a much needed nap, the afternoon becomes an emotional tug-of-war between the four parents involved. Secrets are revealed, and a consensus of sorts is finally reached. The title of the play, In The Secret Sea, refers to the womb of a mother-to-be. While bearing a healthy child is a joyous miracle, carrying a fetus that’s distinctly abnormal is a terrible crisis, and the decision that must be made is invariably painful for all concerned. This is dealt with admirably and skillfully, by everyone involved in the production. But the dialogue becomes repetitious; some judicious cuts would help keep the tension of the piece. There are also one or two strange gaffes. Who opens champagne long before it’s to be drunk? This is a drama which largely reflects the audience member who is seeing it; each person does or doesn’t bring personal experience into the mix. For those who have no point of reference, it’s more of an exercise in observing how the façade of composure can be ripped away by a crisis situation. For those with resonance in their own lives, In The Secret Sea can bring tears and recognition. My eyes were dry, but many around me were obviously far more affected emotionally.
