←Recommendations of The Swallows

I had the pleasure of attending a reading of this rurally realistic, yet very poetic play, at the Midwest Dramatists Conference 2018. The play, in a tender humble way depicts two trailer park women talking and sharing a bottle of liquor. The dialogue between the two starts off with the question whether it’s bats (creatures of the dark) or swallows (small black birds) flying above them. At the end of the play King lets us understand that what we’ve witnessed here are swallows, making the symbolism of the play very moving and just beautifully fulfilled.

In this engrossing play, King draws us into simple conversation -- we think -- but within this space, we explore big, meaningful concerns. I appreciate how King creates a clear picture of place, and metaphorically juxtaposes different perspectives. Look up, he asks -- look at the sky. What you see might depend upon where you are.

First and foremost, Kevin King has such an excellent grasp of the language in this piece-- it was such a pleasure to really dive into the rich colloquialisms of this community. Watching this play I felt like I'd known these women forever! So much of the conversation just swimming around Southern niceties and the things that are said in between the lines. The balance between the moments of humor and gut wrenching realities of poverty and drug abuse is absolutely stellar--an excellently crafted piece.

A cyclical, engrossing play, King brings forth two women and realizes them so completely they seem like the could have walked in off of the street, or rather out of a trailer park. Meeting over a shared bottle of booze, the two circle around each other, driving closer and closer to the cruel realities of life on the edge. And when they get there, they find a touch of solace in each other.

There are times you meet people in a single moment of their life with no backstory. And yet, you are moved as much as if you'd known them forever. Kevin King gives us an overview of and critique of the concerns and situations many in rural America. From opioids, stolen goods, to drinking, to accepting of f LGBTQ family, down to Southern politeness, guilt for unintended lies, and ultimately the caring shown between those with shared experiences. This play is like a little flower that blossoms with time and it is all the more beautiful for the time invested.