“Rest Stop,” a student-written play produced by student theatre group Sit & Spin, takes audiences inside the mundane walls of a seemingly generic highway rest stop and on a raw, emotional ride.
The show, written by Communication senior Lena Moore, centers on six travelers stuck inside a rest stop off Highway 101 in California. At surface level, the rest stop seems to just have a vending machine, picnic table, bathrooms and toy claw machine, but soon reveals itself to be more than just a stop on the side of the road.
From a mere read of the plot synopsis and the first 20 minutes of the show, “Rest Stop” sets itself up to be a story that has been done before: strangers facing personal issues that get forced together and magically solve all their problems. Quickly though, “Rest Stop” turns this idea into something much more enthralling and original — the characters realize that the parking lot is covered in a mysterious sludge that stops them from leaving.
The first duo to appear at the rest stop are young adults Camille and Miles (Communication senior Riley Harrison and Communication sophomore Casey Bond, respectively), two exes who frequently remind other characters that they are “not together.”
Soon, more road trippers filter in. Henrietta (Communication junior Mia Van De Mark) and Paul (Communication junior Garraway Nance), Texans who are moving to a retirement home in California, and Alice (Communication sophomore Anah Shaikh) and Yael (Communication sophomore Ellsworth Sullivan), brought together by the death of Alice’s sister and Yael’s best friend, all find themselves at the rest stop.
As the characters try to figure out why they are stuck and how to get out, circumstances get increasingly stranger. An off-putting rest stop attendant (Communication senior Lucas Oktay) begins to startle the travelers and the claw machine seems to magically whizz to life at random times to give the characters scarily familiar prizes.The travelers quickly realize that this may not just be a rest stop, but something much eerier.
What resonates most about these characters is not their uniqueness but instead their familiarity. It is impressive to watch flashy, one-of-a-kind characters brought to life, but almost equally as impressive to watch characters on stage feel like people you would actually know in real life.
Van De Mark shines as Henrietta, a woman in her 80s. It’s no small feat to capture the lived experience of someone likely four times her age, but Van De Mark brings a universal truth to the role. Instead of a caricature of an elderly woman, Henrietta becomes a relatable portrait for anyone who feels like they have missed their chances in life.
The costuming spectacularly builds onto this familiarity of characters. Paul’s sensible khakis and button down contrast with Henrietta’s wildly colorful skirt and whimsical white peplum top, mirroring their relationship and fighting dynamic.
In between the eeriness and tender moments, the show finds fleeting but poignant times to be astoundingly funny. While universally relatable, the comedy feels aimed at college students and young people. It is never afraid of going too niche with a joke or tackling sensitive topics like mental health.
The generational divide between characters becomes apparent as the comedy ensues. Times like when Camille tries to explain to Henrietta why she and Miles are not together, or when Yael teaches Paul to knit, are all equal parts funny, touching and relatable.
Stuck somewhere with people they love, “Rest Stop’s” cast of characters are left to face the big questions about life: grief, forgiveness and who they choose to love. Watching these lovable characters seek the answers is a joy as the show shifts so easily from unsettling to heartbreaking to laugh-out-loud funny.
“Rest Stop” has remaining performances Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Shanley Pavilion.
Email: lydiaplahn2027@u.northwestern.edu
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