THE TASTE OF WATER by Bound Theatre

“Diving Back In, And Making Small Waves“

Reviewer: Cordelia Lee
Performance: 3 August 2018

Bound Theatre returns after a three-year hiatus and dives headfirst into staging a locally-written romantic drama, The Taste of Water. This piece centres on the relationship between Joycelyn (Erika Magnicay) and Oscar (James Chia), ex-classmates whose chanced reunion rekindles a romance that threatens the stability of their separate lives. By fluctuating between the pair’s past and present interactions, the work explores the tragedy of missed opportunity and the inability to reconcile heart with mind.

Magnicay and Chia initially establish a convincing connection by navigating their volatile onstage relationship in a nuanced manner. When the conversation between Joycelyn and Oscar over a meal veers towards their separate love lives, the actors begin embellishing their speech with filler words and pauses – long enough to signal their characters’ discomfort without appearing as though they have forgotten lines. An avoidance of eye contact and a slight shifting within the seats further detail this awkward exchange, effectively building palpable tension within the space. The pair also execute a touching moment well as they slow dance and reminisce about their shared childhood in another scene. The dancing is far from perfect, but an earnest intimacy is exhibited as they silently melt into each other’s arms. In that moment, affection is exchanged in its purest form.

The pair are supported by a strong ensemble, who personify the private thoughts and emotions of both protagonists through mime and movement. When Joycelyn discovers that Oscar’s school art folder still exists, she contains her surprise and appears composed. Yet the ensemble crowding behind her expose her contrasting internal state. They crane their necks forward, eagerly peering into the contents of the folder. As Joycelyn takes out a drawing, they too simultaneously each grab one and fan outwards with arms raised. They silently admire the sketches while delicately suspending the pieces of paper, bodies easing into an unhurried, fluid motion. The ensemble’s physicality visually captures the sensation of time slowing down for Joycelyn, and effectively expresses her dreamy euphoria as she savours Oscar’s art.

Everything flows consistently in the first 45 minutes. Aside from noisy scene transitions – a medley of elephant feet and boxes hitting the ground – nothing else irks me.

But then the climax arrives, and completely misses its mark.

Unlike the earlier scenes, Magnicay and Chia’s performance lack the requisite chemistry to persuade anyone of the sexual tension between their characters. They half-heartedly feign a make-out before fumbling awkwardly into the hotel room. Consequently, the energy during this scene dissipates, persisting to undermine a heated argument that follows. The slap Magnicay delivers to Chia in response to Oscar’s rejection is weak and uncommitted. It is a pity that their performance unravels during this critical scene.

Though some areas of this production require finetuning, Bound Theatre deserves credit for bravely executing it with nothing more than a couple of black boxes and a lively cast. Their sincere acting and dynamic physicality propel them to achieve artful storytelling despite the minimal resources available – something of a rarity in recent times.