Songs I Stole From Anya

 I often accuse myself of being selfish. Every time I receive an update on the pain plaguing our earth, either on the scale of global calamity or the memories and past lives of individuals, I question whether I deserve to be happy if it means leaving so many behind. I do not think I'm alone in feeling this way. The contradiction between our self-interest and our sense of fairness manifests itself as a sickness more often than we allow ourselves to realize. What are the consequences of constantly asking when are we allowed to be okay?Songs I Stole From Anya, written and directed by Iris Cronin '19, debates this very question. It begins on the one-year anniversary of the day Anya Avilova (Carrie Adams '17), who has bipolar disorder, took her own life. Her best friend Chloe (Erin Malimban '19) and ex-boyfriend Nicolas (Ken Lumb '19) have met up for the first time in 14 months to talk about Anya, and the play progresses solely through their conversations and through monologues delivered by Anya that exist in their memories. As they speak, we learn about the events of their relationships with Anya leading up to her death as well as the ways in which she is still very much present.The content of the show mainly consists of mining the suppressed emotions of its characters, giving its field of view an almost microscopic quality. This, however, does not take away from its richness and impact, rather it magnifies it. Every detail of production aids in displaying beauty in simplicity, beginning with the set. The set designer Marielle Burt '19 provides a stage that is at once safe and contained, yet it doesn't cause a sense of restriction. It therefore doubles as a venue for the unavoidable realness of Nick and Chloe's present and a as dreamscape for the memories Anya exists in. The lighting designer (Liesl Jaeger ‘18) and sound designer (Andrew Giurleo ‘19) also make significant contributions to changes in mood and sense of presence felt by the audience. The nuance in weather conditions or time of day is immediately apparent and makes the fixed and somewhat bare stage feel dynamic.Virtually the only movements in the show are transitions between various standing and seated positions, and the lack of action requires a depth of dialogue that Cronin certainly achieves. She shows an excellent control of pace in her conversations, which feel invitingly familiar to the modern viewer, and this vernacular tone is balanced with the eloquence of Anya's poems, which bookend the acts. At the same time, she demonstrates an understanding of the viewer's investigation into missing details. She keeps the audience in the dark just enough to make sure they hang on every word Chloe and Nick exchange, then makes reveals with grace and poignancy.Of course, the skill of Cronin's writing would be invisible without superb acting. Lumb and Malimban illustrate with control the development of their characters' chemistry and comfort with each other. Before every line they utter, we feel their consideration of themselves, of each other, and of Anya before deciding what to say. We see in them a desire to be happy, yet an external belief that that may be wrong, as each attempts to untie the other. However, the salience of their words hinges entirely on the story Adams tells of Anya's life, which she does in a small corner of the stage with little more than a chair. She takes us through Anya's dreams, her loves, and her journey with mental illness with such vitality that it is often easy to forget that she is the only person speaking. You can imagine that even if Chloe or Nick were present in the scenes they are implied in, you wouldn’t even notice them. Your eyes would be unable to leave Anya, as you cannot help but yearn for her to be in the present with Nick and Chloe, and miss the color and radiance she gave to life.The entire cast and crew of Songs I Stole From Anya does a service to all those affected by mental illness, whether they themselves have it or whether they love someone who does. The show advocates for self-care, compassion, and for the abolition of damaging stigmas. That being said, allowing ourselves to enjoy our lives while caring for others is a topic relevant to all. Show yourself a little love, and make your way to T.F. Green this weekend.Songs I Stole From Anya opens tonight in the PW Downspace! The show runs from tonight to Monday, April 10th. Shows are every night at 8 p.m., and there is an additional 2 p.m. show on Sunday, April 9th. Tickets are free and can be reserved on Eventbrite, and will be available at the box office one hour before the show. Warning: this shows deals with themes of Bipolar Disorder, mania, self-harm, suicide, grief and loss.Image via