Jaskeerat Singh

Theatre 107
Allen
3/31/2014

Analysis of Gum the Play

Gum is a play that originates from an article published in a 1996 New York Times issue.
Directed by Eve Muson, starring Alexandra Reeves, Hana Grothe, Shannon Ziegler, Zachary
Scruggs, and Wonsup Chung as Rahmi, Lina, Auntie, and Inayat respectively. The play is based
on the very common perception of women having to be pure until they have been married, and
the punishment received if they become dirty. All throughout the play the actors do a great job to
show the raw emotions that come with such situations that happen daily in many other parts of
the world. Originally the article was based in Egypt, but the production crew made it their own
with a splendid twist.
The play takes place in a land unfamiliar to the audience; present time with a futuristic
vibe. Enhancing that notion was the architecture used. For example the tree was made out of
metal rather than wood or leaves, and the garden was nothing but a well with concrete all around.
However what really gave the extraordinary feel to the play was the wardrobe. Each of the
characters had an outfit that was unique to them, whether it was from the color or the design. It
was particularly the design which set the outfits apart from any other culture or trend currently in
the world, as it combined various styles and color combinations. Altogether the production and
wardrobe team did an excellent job to set up the right environment to enhance the acting.

Acting in front of a few people that you have known for some time is still nerve
wrecking, but acting in front of random people that are literally inches away from you must be
impossible! However the actors on display make it look effortless and extremely natural. Starting
with the sisters Lina and Rahmi. The bond between the two was acted to perfection as by the end
of the play the audience was more than convinced that they were sisters outside of the play.
Rahmi especially did an outstanding job showing pain both physically and emotionally as the
echoes from her screams made the audience feel her pain. One of the best characters of the play
was Young Man, as he ironically added the much needed comedic relief to a very serious matter
with the way he actually acted out his lines rather than just speak them. All in all, every actor and
actress did a fantastic job keeping their composure as well as staying in character throughout the
whole play. This was shown when one of the audience members puked uncontrollably on his
way out of the theatre, and the actors did were not fazed one bit.
One of the main concerns I had with the play was the lack of character development. It
seemed as if we were supposed to walk into the play knowing the background of each character
rather than grow with them throughout the play. There were times I was lost because the
characters acted a way that was not expected due to what I had seen so far into the play before
that instant. For example I was very confused about the aunts character and if she was for or
against the act of circumcision, and especially of Rhami until the very end of the play.
This was my first ever black box theatre play and it will definitely not be my last. Being
so close to the scene and actors adds an extra element that is missing in a box office play. It is an
experience that I believe everyone should have.