Off-Broadway Review: Daphne's Dive

Daphne's Dive
By Quiara Alegría Hudes
Directed by Thomas Kail
Signature Theatre

By Lauren Yarger
What's It All About?
A group of people gather at Dahne's dive, a little whole in north Philadelphia, where over the course of 18 years become a family. Though the rest of the crew has been together for years, Ruby (Samira Wiley) joins them at age 11 after she jumps from a window to escape a police raid that breaks up her family who are tenants in an apartment above the bar. Found in the trash by artist Pablo (Matt Saldivar), who draws inspiration from objects discarded in the garbage, he brings the girl to Daphne (Vanessa Aspillaga)who eventually adopts her.

With each scene changes there is music by Michel Camilo  and an update from Ruby about how old she is. We follow the group again when she is 15, 20, 25 and 29 and see how their relationships grow and change. Daphne's sister, Inez (Daphne Rubon-Vega) and her husband, Acosta (Carlos Gomez), might live in a more upscale section of town because they have found financial success due to Acosta's hard work, but they are frequent visitors to the bar and important influences in Ruby's life. Later Acosta runs for City Council and eventually his once solid marriage is tested by his infidelity. The sisters, with secrets that haunt them from the past, also work through some difficult times.

Director Thomas Kail (Hamilton) fixes regular customer Rey (Gordon Joseph Weiss) to his chair, for the most part, keeping him always on the fringe of the activity, without being an integral part of it. He is the constant against which all the other live show progress. Political artist Jenn (KK Moggie) provides entertainment and enlists ruby in some of her protests, but never feels fulfilled and makes a decision that forever changes the lives of the bar patrons.

What Are the Highlights?
It's an interesting story, a slice of life with interesting characters. Quiara Alegría Hudes' play is much simpler than Water By the Spoonful, which won her the Pulitzer, but it has heart and commitment to bringing realistic characters to the stage. Families and friends are there in good times and bad, and so it is at Daphne's Dive.

Donyale Werle continues the realism theme with her bar set jutting out into the audience and giving us a 360-degree view of the action (and expert lighting by Betsy Adams focuses us in on what's important). The audience feels as though they are patrons in the bar too and part of this circle of friends.

The actors give excellent performances.

What Are the Lowlights?
A jump back in time at the end of the action seems out of place. Some of the information learned in this scene might have helped us better understand some of the characters. As it is, we feel as though we know them but don't like them very much. Some additional development would help us better understand some of the choices made, especially by Acosta. The 1:40 run time posted ran about 20 minutes long (there is no intermission). Here is one play that needs to extend happy hour to two acts to give Daphne and her crew another round to fully develop.

More information:Daphne's Dive plays through June 12 at The Pershing Square Signature Center 480 West 42nd St., NYC. Tickets are $30-$85: signaturetheatre.org; 212-244-7529

Additional credits: 

Toni-Leslie James (Costume Design), Nevin Steinberg (Sound Design)

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:

-- Homosexuality

-- Homosexual activity

-- Language

-- God's name taken in vain

-- Suggestive movements