52 Pick-Up is a creative variation on the well-worn theme of the ever-changing nature of relationships. Exploring the transformation of a romantic relationship between a well-traveled, astrology-loving dreamer and a practical, somewhat neurotic realist, the play takes audience members along a journey that is both endearingly simple and thought-provokingly complex at the same time.
The show revolves around the concept that the two actors portraying the couple must perform all fifty-two scenes of the play out of order – within the first minute, they take a deck of cards with brief scene prompts written on them and throw the cards up in the air. They then pick these cards up at random, making it so that the audience may witness a scene of the couple discussing where their relationship is going before they witness a scene of the couple first meeting. Not only does this force the actors to remember every scene with perfect accuracy, but to make the switch from depicting absolute elation to crushing despair at a moment’s notice.
Though the Howland Company cycled through four sets of performers throughout the course of the Fringe Festival– meaning that the play was performed by two actors during one night but may have been performed by a different set of actors during the next – the two actors who led the 1:45 July 10th show, Cameron Laurie and Hallie Seline, did a fantastic job of playing off of one another and conveying emotion without seeming overly theatrical or exaggerated. Their performance managed to be simultaneously stage-like and subtle, making the small-scale Tarragon Extraspace the perfect venue in which to present the combination of dramatic and understated scenes that sets 52-Pick up apart. Initially the chemistry between the two actors seemed questionable, but it became more believable as the show went on and certain elements of the couple’s relationship revealed themselves more clearly. Additionally, the realistic-sounding dialogue and minimalistic set helped create the sense that the scenes were very likely based off of someone’s real-life experiences.
Audiences may find an odd level of satisfaction in trying to fit scenes along a set timeline as the play unravels and when realizing that references that at first seem fleeting – like one character’s disdain for sweaters – actually hold a considerable amount of significance. At 75 minutes, the play is long enough for the audience to feel as if they understand the problems of the fictional couple being depicted without becoming bored or disinterested. If you get the chance to see the play and enjoy performances that rely heavily on acting ability and believability, 52 Pick-Up is definitely worth your time.
The Howland Company’s 52 Pick-Up enjoyed a sold-out run at this year’s Fringe and has been extended as part of the Best of Fringe. See The Howland Company’s website for July showtimes.
Listen to an interview with 52 Pick-Up’s co-writer and creator TJ Dawe: