Cappies Review: 'Never Swim Alone' At Langley High School

By Brooke Hanser of Robinson Secondary School

In a world filled with conflict, is it possible to lose sight of what truly matters? Langley High School's rendition of Never Swim Alone delves deep into the intricacies of relationships riddled with competition and comments on how easy it is to lose control in dangerous situations.

Never Swim Alone told the story of two ex-best friends, now enemies, fighting to be "The first man" through a series of seemingly pointless competitions. These matches are facilitated by another childhood friend, appearing as a referee. The play, written by award-winning playwright Daniel MacIvor, was first produced in 1991. Throughout its 20-year run, Never Swim Alone's themes of guilt, morality, and virulent competition have remained just as relevant today as ever.

When the show began, the two men, played by Cole Sitilides and Leland Hao, entered the room, taking synchronized steps on the stage. These shared motions established an expectation that the two men would move in sync throughout the show. Not only did the two move together flawlessly, but they recited lines at the same time too. The boys rapidly switched from individual monologues to synchronized speech, never missing a beat. Sitilides and Hao were mesmerizing as they mimicked each other's speech patterns and footsteps faultlessly.

Even though these two characters mirrored one another most of the time, the actors gave each of them their own distinct personalities. Francis (Cole Sitilides) was goal-driven, aggressive, and willing to destroy anything that stood in his way. Bill (Leland Hao) was family-oriented, cocky, and had a more calculated approach to life. These subtle differences in mindset created the build-up for the dramatic climax, a moment where the tension between the two characters increased into violence. Sitilides and Hao maturely pulled off an elaborate fight sequence, generating a complete sense of authenticity for this moment.

In stark contrast to the headstrong boys was the Referee, played by Hannah Toronto. The fun-loving facilitator of the matches would always pop in right as tensions were dangerously high to remind the boys of memories from their childhood friendship. Toronto had a distinct ability to captivate the crowd with her storytelling abilities.

The minimalist set allowed the depth of the actors' characters to shine through. Their playing space was limited to one chair each, set up in a perfect triangle. Paired with the lighting design by Mary Muir and Kira Lentz, this space created an intimate atmosphere for Francis and Bill to fight out their matches in an up-close and personal way.

Langley's production of Never Swim Alone looks at the bigger picture of a lethal situation through the lens of two highly competitive men. They handled the complexity of the characters and the plot with ease. The play asked the audience to question what truly matters and if there can rightfully be a "first man" if both men are flawed.