According to the Dream Keeper in this show, “92 percent of the time, nothing interesting happens in dreams.” The remaining 8 percent is the subject of this FringeNext piece written by Austin Lamewona and performed by him and other students from Walnut Hills High School.
The play opens with DK, the Dream Keeper (Maddie Eaton), who records in books the dreams of the various people under her control. The books and kept in a vast library that she can refer to.
DK decides to share the dreams of some of her more interesting clients: A college student, Dwayne Simeon (Devin Knott), his uncle, appropriately named Unk (Lamewona) and Dwayne’s best friend Erika (Kayla Fiasco). Hopes and fears, ninjas and sword fights are the stuff of these dreams, and we see how the dreams of these characters shape their everyday interactions.
The heart of this play is Dwayne, and Knotts gives a solid performance, believable and sympathetic. While not wallowing in it, he explores the character’s angst at being the center of conflict between Unk and Erika. Knotts is finishing his junior year at Walnut; playing someone already in college could be a stretch, but he does it easily and convincingly.
Acting as Unk, parental surrogate and Dwayne’s antagonist, Lamewona plays the role sternly, so much so that we sometimes miss the reasoning behind his actions. However, there are moments when Lamewona lets this character shine. Unk tries to act as matchmaker between Dwayne and Kourtney (Claire Patterson), an architecture student. His sternness is reduced, resulting in some funny, touching moments between Unk and his nephew.
The true star of this show is Eaton’s Dream Keeper. She is charming, playing the role with energy and conviction. At the top of the play, she comes onstage in red-striped, sock monkey footed pajamas, frantically discombobulated because she did not realize the audience was coming to visit. She quickly wins over the audience.
Unlike many a Fringe show, this play has a sweet, satisfying ending with some reconciliation between Dwayne and Unk. Rather than feeling saccharine, this one is earned, not forced.
Lamewona won the Against the Grain High School Playwriting Competition for this play. In August, he will be going to Buffalo, N.Y., for a workshop production of his play. Cincy Fringe is a chance to witness the work of this budding playwright.
