James Fritz’s Start Swimming is a surrealistic play drenched in political upheaval that asks what power young people have to create change. In a room: there are five people with nothing to go on other than their instincts and their desire to live. Is it worth taking risks when a misstep can destroy all they’ve worked for? How do they fight the unseen powers, that manipulate their fear to abuse control…all when the rules keep changing? Using Pavlovian consequences, Orwellian overtones, and theatre of cruelty style, this play questions authority, the definition of freedom, and explores the journey of resistance and revolution.
“I fucking love this show and what Alex created with this ensemble. It's tedious, powerful, invigorating and will inspire you to take a look into your own personal revolutions. “
- Amanda Bird (Founder of Noisy Nest theatre)
“The total production is an amazingly strange and gritty synthesis of the director's strength and clarity of vision, the talent, and dedication of the actors, the focused aesthetic excellence of the set and costume design, and some jarring audiovisual effects, all combine to create an experience that is far more than the sum of its parts. I guarantee you've never seen anything like it."
-John McDonough (Theatre Student)
“I saw this production last month and it is breathtaking. Alexandra Fiallos, the director, is a force to be acknowledged. The way she took the very complicated text and made it crystal clear is remarkable for someone her age. The ensemble was super tight. “
-Chambers Stevens (Playwright, & Acting coach)