Nestled in the intimate setting of a black-box theater lined with green turf, Spokane Civic Theatre presented “The Wolves,” a play that explored the friendships and struggles of young women through the lens of a club soccer team in the middle of suburban America. Each scene in the show took place before and after games – the insider moments of a team’s relationship.
The use of a small space allowed the show to explore each character’s personal moments and the interactions between all the players, giving the audience a “fly on the wall” perspective. The girls discussed school, family, societal pressures, friendship and, of course, soccer.
Driving the play’s masterful writing was the cast’s undeniable chemistry. The pacing of the dialogue gave the impression that the audience was really peering in on each conversation and made each moment feel very real. The overlapping dialogue in the first scene was captivating and set the tone for the entire piece.
The individual friendships throughout the group were easy to pick out, and each actress brought a distinct set of choices and personality to her character. The thoughtfulness among the cast and director shone through in such a way that made the play feel incredibly tangible. Many of the characters reminded me of actual people I went to school with, and their conversations were eerily similar to ones I witnessed.
The initial group conversations between these characters referenced important plot points that the show later explored, giving the audience the impression that seemingly insignificant moments in our own lives can reflect something deeper in all of us.
As a coming-of-age story, the show explored each character as they experienced the inevitable loss of innocence. This element allowed the storyline to transcend generations and cultures, making the play timeless and relatable.
Although the stage was small, the way the actors moved around the space gave the impression that we were really watching them warm up to go play a soccer game. Near the end of the show, the plot took an unexpected turn, and it was remarkable how such a huge, gut-wrenching moment felt so personal to the viewer. The way that different plot points were revealed slowly through conversation instead of directly telling the audience what was happening created a situation that operated like actual conversation, making an engaging experience for the viewer.
Though the set, costumes and lighting were simple, they all added to the overwhelming feeling that these girls were real and the storyline was really happening. In a play like this, an elaborate set and costumes were not necessary because the writing and acting truly did not need to be supplemented. The bareness in these other technical elements allowed the cast and book to take center stage and reflected how those moments would actually play out in the real world.
With March being International Women’s Month, it’s easy to see why a show like “The Wolves” feels so potent and noteworthy. Young women are often a demographic disregarded and ignored by the rest of society, so seeing a show where their ideas and struggles were lifted up felt incredibly poignant. The whole point of the show was that we don’t necessarily know the struggles of the people around us and that we should try to be attentive to one another. A club soccer team was the perfect group to explore that idea and the depth of the human experience among all of us. The show displayed the undeniable importance of having a support structure throughout the struggles of growing up.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking show with stellar acting and a wonderful script, “The Wolves” is showing at the Spokane Civic Theatre through March 30.
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Article by Emily Niemann