If the idea of a silent play makes you a little nervous, fear not. Firelight Theater’s “Small Mouth Sounds,” written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Bess Wohl and described as a “silent play,” is hardly silent. There is laughter, there are shrieks, there are sound effects, and there is some dialogue, but the audience is completely caught up in the story from start to finish.
The play is a fascinating testament to how much can be communicated with few words.
“Small Mouth Sounds” is the story of six well-meaning but flawed people attempting to remain quiet during a silent yoga retreat in which they break the rules, wrestle with personal dramas, make bad choices, create unexpected connections, and, in the end, perhaps attain what they were hoping to achieve by attending a silent retreat.
The six characters in “Small Mouth Sounds” are played by Jason Lambert, Laura Carden, Roy Schlieben, Amanda Sennett, Isaiah LaPierre-Palmer and Alix Woodford, with Paul Merrill playing the disembodied voice of “The Teacher.”
Each of the actors is highly skilled, telling the audience everything we need to know about their character with no dialogue: who is sad, who has trauma, who thinks highly of themselves, who is at their wits’ end. Every character is relatable, human, and funny.
Lambert’s character sets the tone, arriving first, obviously anxious, wondering what is about to happen, and hoping to make a good impression. The others straggle in — a couple still arguing about their GPS, a young woman, late and obviously rattled, a young man letting everyone know he is a serious yoga person. From this point onward, the attendees have agreed to remain silent until the retreat is over. They are immediately faced with challenges they must navigate without speaking, including conflicts with other participants, encounters with nature, and unwanted phone calls from home.
While they attend yoga class, the six participants stare worshipfully up at their Teacher, scribbling down his words of wisdom, and sometimes, frantically waving their hands to be noticed while he is speaking, to no avail. One character forgets to bring a pencil and paper, receives no help from anyone, and as a result, fails to ever write down his intentions for the retreat, while another is highly prepared with a battery-powered pencil sharpener, which he uses frequently, to the annoyance of everyone else.
The Teacher reveals his own flaws during the retreat, startling the group with his lapses and quirks, but his devotees remain in awe, even as things get off track. The final scene is surprisingly moving, with unexpected twists.
On Wednesday night, June 3, Firelight Theatre Workshop will host a silent dinner fundraiser, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Post and Beam Brewery in Peterborough, followed by a 7:30 p.m. performance of “Small Mouth Sounds.” Dinner of handmade wood-fired pizza and local produce will be provided by Blackfire Farm, with locally brewed beer by Post and Beam. All proceeds support Firelight Theatre Workshop. For tickets, go to tickettailor.com/events/firelighttheatreworkshop/2129509.
“Small Mouth Sounds” is playing at Firelight Theatre Workshop through June 7. The theater is located on the second floor of the New Guernsey Building, 70 Main Street, Unit #204, in Peterborough, which can be entered on the second level through the parking lot in the rear of the building, accessible by Phoenix Mill Lane off of Grove Street. The play is 90 minutes with no intermission.
