Witty dialogue and taboo topics immersed the audience in Deirdre O’Connor’s play, Jailbait, which premiered at Boston College’s theater department. The show portrayed the topic of age in relationships in a twisted, yet heartwarming tale.
O’Connor ’94 wrote Jailbait in 2009. BC senior Lexi Auth directed the play, which ran Jan. 24, 25, 26, and 27.
The play describes the connections between two fifteen-year-old girls and two thirty-year-old men. Emmy, played by Ally Lardner, and Mark, played by Peter Dunn, meet at a club, and they agree to bring friends for a double date. Emmy brings her friend Claire, played by Isabelle Walkey, and Mark brings Robert, played by Miki Peiffer. The show focuses on the teenagers mingling with the men in a Boston club and them risking their friendship for adventure.
The show dealt with difficult topics like underage sex and teenage sexuality. We see two vulnerable young girls being taken advantage of by two older men. At various points, the girls experimented with alcoholic drinks. The show discussed uncomfortable topics, conveying a message that is not talked about often.
At the start of the play, Emmy acted like an immature teenager. Lardner, though a BC student, was able to portray a teenager well. She brought her character to life with a high-pitched voice and by sprinkling “like” into her sentences. Her original outfit, jeans and a casual shirt, were expected of a teen and portrayed her as unprofessional. The colorful band posters and a pink bed in her room added to her character.
The contrast between the characters of Emmy and Claire added to the complex nature of the show. Both girls started with similarly girly, bubbly personalities. They devised ways to meet up with the men through passionate discussions. The deep eye contact they made with each other helped the audience feel their connection.
From Emmy’s bedroom, the show moved to the club where loud techno music blared. The men stood in the club by themselves, waiting for the girls. Robert was in slacks and a button-down shirt while Mark wore casual clothing to look like a broke, college kid. Dunn brought Mark to life with his subtle ease and his laidback way of talking. Robert was more fidgety, continuously putting his hands in and out of his pockets.
When the girls arrived at the club, they appeared much older than they did in the first scene. They both wore short dresses and tall heels. Their heavy makeup made them look like different people. Although they changed how they looked, they struggled to change their personalities. When they interacted with the men, they acted like socially awkward teens. The age gap between the “couples” was clear to the audience through these troublesome interactions.
The girls separated and went off with Mark and Robert to different parts of the club. The men wanted to go home with the girls, but Emmy hesitated and showed her vulnerable side. She bunched up her sleeves, covered her face, and curled her hair with her finger in an awkward, childish way. Later, in the girls’ bathroom, Emmy tried to convince Claire to go home with her, but she failed. Claire left Emmy and exited the club with Robert. They spent the night together, which both immediately saw as a mistake. Emmy, now friendless, left the club with Mark.
The show ended with both girls back in Claire’s room where they apologized to each other. The scene was a moving touch to a chilling performance. They acknowledged their mistakes and mended their friendship. In a sweet conclusion, both Lardner and Walkey switched back to playing the girls as they were portrayed in the original scenes.
Lardner said it was hard for her and Walkey to play young girls in a dangerous situation. “I had to talk about super important issues and talk about embarrassing topics like sex in front of a large audience which was kinda hard,” said Lardner. Although the show was not an easy one to watch, the connections between the characters made it worthwhile.
