Times-Standard Guest Writer (January 28, 1988)
ARCATA - According to the English poet John Donne, "No man is an island, entire of himself," and neither is Colm Primrose in "Sea Marks," a tender love story by Gardner McKay and this season's offering from the Pacific Arts Center.
Jerry Nusbaum is Colm, a fisherman whose lifestyle is somewhat crude and uncultured. His days are filled with the incomplexities of fishing, pipe-smoking, and ale. Nusbaum is wonderfully realistic in his portrayal of the uncultured, yet sensitive man.
He meets Timothea Stiles at a wedding celebration and falls gently in love with her through correspondences between the two of them over the course of 18 months. She is in Liverpool; he is by the sea off the coast of Ireland.
Timothea, played by Pamela Lyall, works for a publisher. At first she doesn't even remember Colm, but soon she is enamored with his writing. She sees the poetry in Colm's letters and, without any malice aforethought, decides to publish them and market him. Calm finds this out when he receives the published book as a gift from Timothea.
Timothea's lifestyle is the opposite of Colm's primitive one. Her Liverpool flat is comfortable and cozy. Early on, we learn of her Welsh up-bringing and the fact that she hasn't always been so affluent. When this information is presented in monologue, Lyall slips into a thick Welsh accent to complete the flashback - descriptions of her childhood and the pain she felt. Other times her speech is cultured and more British. Both are consistent and well done.
Gardner McKay originally intended this play to be a contemporary setting, yet director James Floss staged it in the 50's, "a more naive and innocent time." This works well and soon becomes obviously necessary for the believability of the play, especially when the two set up house together in Liverpool.
McKay uses monologue to deliver the contents of the letters written between Colm and Timothea. Sometimes he has them speak the narratives in unison to give the feel of sender-receiver. This makes for wonderful chorus and employs reader's theater technique. Other times the actor/actress speak directly to the audience, incIuding us, intimately, in their lives.
The set is divided into the fisherman's cottage and the Liverpool flat. Both sets are filled with detail - the crossboard on the door of the cottage looks as if it had been washed ashore while the Renoir over the mantle in the Liverpool flat seems a bit too opulent for Timothea' means.
The lighting in "Sea Marks" as well as the set design are by Ray Ellsworth. Aside from a few late cues, the overall effects were excellent. Sounds of the sea as well as the city are prevalent throughout "Sea Marks." Even minute detail such as the sound of the heater coming on are part of the threads which weave this dramatic tapestry together for us. These necessary effects were designed by David Cash.
Colm is not content to be away from the sea. "The sea provides," says Colm. and his opening lines are his covenant - "I live by the sea."
Beautifully delivered by Nusbaum and Lyall, "Sea Marks" will surely touch that warm spot in your soul, fill you with memories or special love and send you away with the wet hankies that Director James Floss predicted. Like true love, it is undeniably sentimental and sweet, warm and tender. "Sea Marks," continues Thursdays and weekends through Feb. 6 at the Pacific Art Center in Arcata. Tickets for Thursday night show's and Sunday matinees are $6 general and $5 seniors/students; Friday $8 generaI, $7 seniors/students, Saturday $10 general, $8 seniors/students. Phone 822-0828 for information and reservations. Evening performances begin at 8 and matinees start at 2 p.m.