Cappies Review: 'Hey, Stranger' At Langley High School

By Sarah Khalil of South County High School

Old friends to new strangers, "Hey Stranger" is a play about 2 old flames who had a somewhat rocky ending. They reconnected over Zoom on what Eve thought was a virtual date, but things took a hard left turn, even before Eve's tutee, Zoe, joined their Zoom link.

Gideon, portrayed by Cole Sitilides, fronted as a very successful man. The costuming choice of a button up shirt and nice watch was very posh, and his framed degree in eyeshot was a nice touch. The ongoing pandemic has made us notice the accomplishments made by others and ourselves, more so than usual, so the view of Gideon definitely caught Eve's attention. He described his business as booming, and overall came off very smug. Eve, portrayed by Hannah Toronto, quickly realized that Gideon was married when she saw his painting of his wife, and their Zoom date was nothing of the sort.

Eve seemed happy with her current life situation, but she also wanted more. In an attempt to fill a gap in her life, she went on a date with her old flame Gideon. Hannah Toronto portrayed Eve's displeasure in learning about Gideon's success and marriage exquisitely.

The most interesting dynamic was not between the two main characters, but between Gideon and Eve's tutee, Zoe (portrayed by Claire Stephenson). Cole Sitilides elegantly portrayed the facade of a man, Gideon, pretending to be something important. Zoe was a strong-minded 14-year-old girl who didn't buy it. Their age and gender differences came into play when she challenged him on all things social politics, to which his only response was that she was young and didn't know what she was talking about. Gideon often objectified women, from viewing his wife as an object to be painted, to viewing Eve as a means to an end, his good business review. He insulted Eve by not remembering her occupation, and he insinuated that her drinking wine was less than, because he was drinking coffee. He intended to hurt Eve with some of his words, like when he rudely mentioned how he missed who she used to be, not who she was now.

Towards the end of the play, Eve took a moment away from the other two to gain some peace and quiet. This was a really nice touch that accurately portrayed what it's like to socialize for too long after being by yourself for such a long, extended period of time. It also showed Eve that maybe she didn't need anything more in her life, and that she could be content alone.

The technical aspects of this show were subtle, precise, and beautifully executed. During any monologue, the other characters' faces veered off the screen while the speaker's window got larger, mimicking the effect of a spotlight. Additionally, the slow timing of the Zoom call, as well as the "Wi-Fi issues" helped emphasize the awkwardness of the call. The costuming choices also emphasized the character's overarching traits.

"Hey Stranger" accurately portrayed the awkwardness of communication during the pandemic, as well as how isolation has affected society.