Synopsis

When someone you love, someone you trust more than anything in the world, someone who has never let you down and whose job it is to protect you is no longer there. It hurts and for a long time it angers you that they left. They promised you they'd always be there, always by your side. They lied... they died.

From an infant, Sarah Fairhaven was brought up by here father. One stormy night, she awoke from her sleep and was comforted by him. He sang of happy thoughts, her favourite things, trips to the zoo, and especially visits to the dolphins. Safe in his care, she fell asleep; only this time when she awoke, he was dead

Twenty years on and Sarah has developed into a young woman with a huge talent for painting - a talent that is hidden through modesty and lack of self-belief. The loss of her father has shaped her personality and her relationships with others. Trusting someone again is hard and the need for self-preservation sets in. If you don't get close you can't get hurt; if you don't attempt you can't fail.

Her confidence, her confidante is her best friend Susie. Susie is the opposite of Sarah in every way. Outgoing, brash, trusts easily, gets hurt, but bounces back quickly. Men love her and she loves men, although she often falls for the wrong type.

Unbeknown to Sarah, Susie has submitted some of her paintings to an art gallery that is very interested in showing her work. Firstly horrified, but secretly thrilled she agrees to meet Zöe Maynard (one of the gallery's owners) to discuss having her work exhibited.

At the gallery, Sarah meets Paul Hardwick, Zöe's business partner. Sarah's naivetè and enthusiasm are a refreshing change from the usual arty types Paul sees and he is immediately attracted to her. When Sarah leaves, Paul confesses his feelings to Zöe, but she has secretly loved him for years and had hoped one day they would be together.

Very quickly Paul and Sarah's relationship becomes far more than business and they fall in love. Sarah shares her delight in finding someone with Susie. Susie, although happy for Sarah is tinged with a little jealousy and wonders if it will be her turn soon, showing a softer side to her character.

Back from an evening out, Paul and Sarah are drawn closer. Sarah confesses she is frightened to trust and if she lets him stay, scared that he won't be there when she wakes. Paul assures her that thias would nver happen and they spend the night together

Next day back at the art gallery Paul tells Zöe that Sarah is everything he has ever wanted and that he will ask her to marry him after her debut showing.

It's only then that things start to go wrong...

Performance Details

Swimming with Dolphins was performed on the 20th - 22nd November 1997 at the Howell Centre Theatre, Brunel University.

Review

Route 66

Swimming with dolphins is a story of love, jealousy, and betrayal. Set in the present it tells the tale of Sarah Fairhavan (Allegra-gra-gra-gra Catolfi Salvoni), a young woman with a passion for art and a love of dolphins, whose father died when she was young and ever since fears sleeping with someone in case they're not there when she wakes up.

The play is brilliant. Apart from the first song which is a bit dodge, the tunes are superb and the writer, Mark Allcorn (a former Brunel Student), should be slapping himself on the back. The vast majority of the songs are ballards, and it is easy to get stuck up Over-The-Top Street with this kind of tune. This, however, is something which Swimming with Dolphins widely avoids, and the songs are (and this is a word which I rarely use but is certainly right here) beautiful.

This is made possible by the quality of the cast: Nicola Ross is perfect as Susie, Sarah's friend who doesn't let her jealousy of her mates relationship get in the way; Katie Froud is a believable Zoe, Sarah's agent who's jealousy of Sarah's relationship is the turning point of the story; and Ian Jackman as Paul, Sarah's lover who whisks her into bed and the seemingly disappears. A friend who I went with thought that the ending was predicatable, but then he had spoken to someone who had been to the dress rehearsals. Personally I found it quite surprising - and shocking - but I won't give it away unless you get the chance to see the play for yourself in the near future. Swimming with Dolphins has been entered for the 43rd National Student Drama Festival. I am highly confident that it will be sucessful.

Jel McGill