Sydni Abel

Anxiety, joy, suspense and worry were just four of the emotions I felt while viewing the  student directed play produced at the university, “Standing on my Knees.”

The play is about Catherine (Kaitlyn Kearschner) who is a poet who suffers from schizophrenia. After being released back into society from the hospital, Catherine tries to adapt back into the world with the help of some new medication and constant visitations with her nurse and psychiatric evaluator, Joanne (Megan Lee).

While adapting, Catherine attempts to work for her friend and editor, Alice (Hope Williams).

Alice tries to help Catherine become more social and active in the new stage of her life. Through Alice, Catherine meets Robert (Drake Delap).

Robert comes from a white-collar background but falls in love with Catherine despite the social class differences between the two. Together, Catherine and Robert learn about each other’s drastically different lives over sex, weird music and expensive wine.

The main thing that Catherine longs for is the ability to write good poetry again, which she believes was the thing that was making her crazy in the first place.

After being denied the request to lower her dosage of medicine, she takes it upon herself to stop taking her meds, drink more wine and try to be a great poet again.

As she starts to slip back into her schizophrenic episodes, Catherine’s life crumbles, bringing down her relationships and work life along the way. The play ends with Catherine back in the hospital, once again melting into the life she so desperately tried to escape.

Kearschner was the queen of the stage as she wowed and moved the audience through the dark journey of Catherine.

It was almost as if you could feel, even taste her performance.

Lee, Williams and Delap set every scene perfectly with their spot-on portrayal of a no-nonsense medical practitioner; a self-absorbed, cigarette smoking friend/colleague; and the leading lady’s lover.

The cast only comprised of four people, but in the experience I felt like this made the play what it was. They all played off of each other so well, which I feel was due to that small team atmosphere.

In that setting, they were able to form a natural and comfortable bond with each other.

Overall, the play was incredible. Almost every emotion possible was evoked from me during the experience. I even had to change my socks afterward because my feet were sweaty and clenched during the show.

Praise to Isabelle Rogers for directing a fantastic show!