Actor-Writer Elizabeth Hess on The Way of Water after seeing the reading at EST in NYC on May 29, 2012

The Way of Water by Caridad Svich is a complex and compelling exploration into the BP oil spill in Louisiana, The play tears at the heart as it reveals the horrors of the disaster. By exposing the terrible toll that such waste reeks not just on the environment but also on human lives, the play digs beneath the surface to unearth the 'oily, slick and sinister' toxicity that coats psychic landscapes as well as physical ones. By centering the action around two couples whose lives are intertwined in both conscious and unconscious ways, Svich allows their anger and frustration and fear and helplessness to erupt in impassioned exchanges that can be both deeply wounding and healing, thus adding to the impact of the traumatic event that has already shaken their lives. She has avoided sermonizing and instead embraced the human condition in a very recognizable and soulful way. Brava!