Dutch Kills Theater presents
SELKIE
The Wild Project
195 East 3rd St.
NY NY
29 November-22 December 2018

Written by Krista Knight
Directed by: Matt Dickson
Featuring: Toni Ann DeNoble, Elia Monte-Brown, Federico Rodriguez

A SELKIE is a mythological creature based on Celtic/Scandinavian Folklore. A seal in the water and a human on land, a selkie can be enslaved by a person if the person captures the sealskin that is shed when the selkie turns human. A captured selkie will never stop longing for its skin so it can return to the water. This makes the selkie a perfect metaphor for a person stuck with a controlling/abusive partner.

When we first meet Keaton (Federico Rodriguez) and Deanna (the charming Toni Ann DeNoble), they seem to be a typical, madly in love couple. It slowly unfolds that there is a nefarious reason they are on this out-of-the-way island and why they can’t go back. And as the mysteries are revealed, so is the level of control issues Keaton has, and how Deanna’s insecurities (and drug use) keep her tied to him.

While out on a drug bender, Deanna meets some “seal women.” It could just be a drug-induced delusion, but Keaton believes her and grabs the sealskin of one of the women, Alondra, making her his slave. He intends to blackmail the other selkies into becoming drug runners for him. What he doesn’t count on is Deanna and Alondra finding common cause being under Keaton’s domination.

Elia Monte-Brown’s Alondra is lovely. Her yearning for freedom is palpable in her every gesture.

The cleverly adaptable set design in combination with the fun sound and projection designs keep the show moving fluidly.

- Jean Tait -