Life, Love, and Excavation Sites in “Hadrian’s Wall”

A writer who chooses to tell a story about academics has a fine line to walk, especially when the academic subject is a key element to the story. When the characters speak about the subject, they have to sound knowledgeable and well-informed, but still have an organic, believable conversation without dumping a load of information onto the shoulders of the unsuspecting audience. Finding this delicate balance between accuracy and emotional resonance is a difficult task, and one that is accomplished with flair and intelligence in Hadrian’s Wall, a new play at the New York International Fringe Festival.

Written by Dani Vetere, Hadrian’s Wall tells us the story of a brilliant archaeologist named Ramona (Laura Siner), a recluse who has shut herself up in her apartment after looting from an excavation site ten years earlier. Her life consists of completing crossword puzzles, checking books out of the library (and not paying the fines when they’re several years late), and eating takeout Chinese food with her lawyer, David (Eric Rolland). David is Ramona’s constant and only companion, as well as her married former boyfriend. Refusing to acknowledge the severity of the accusations against her, Ramona lives in solitude and denial until Amy (Rebecca White), a graduate student from the university, comes into her life. The two women soon develop a relationship where Amy reignites Ramona’s passion for work and life. Of course, for Ramona, work and life are essentially the same, and as she and Amy know each other better, the play teases us with a question: is Ramona guilty of cheating, in both the academic field and in her relationships?

Archaeology is the subject of Hadrian’s Wall, and the dialogue is peppered with references to many details that the casual audience member won’t understand – and it doesn’t matter one bit. It didn’t matter to me that my knowledge of archaeology doesn’t extend far beyond the Archaeology Today clip from an episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The joy in Hadrian’s Wall is not in counting the number of references and scientific facts that one might understand. The joy in Hadrian’s Wall is watching the relationship develop between Ramona and Amy, in seeing the look of stunned admiration cross Amy’s face when she watches Ramona discuss her work, in seeing the way a depressed, aimless Ramona come to life when she shows Amy the research on her unfinished project, and in hearing the way the two women talk about their favorite subject as though they’ll never run out of things to say.

Archaeology is also revealed to be the subject that helped undo the relationship between Ramona and David so many years ago. In flashback scenes that felt a little rushed (probably due to Fringe Festival guidelines about play length), we see a Ramona and David in a striking role reversal, where she is the active one with a burgeoning career while he watches television, still not having finished his law degree. When her career flounders, his begins to rise, and the seemingly perfect ex-boyfriend with the good intentions takes just a little too much pleasure in needing Ramona to be dependent on him.

This intelligent, moving play is brought to life by the actors and direction. As Ramona, Laura Siner shows a gradual, profound change in her character. While falling in love with Amy, she seems to grow in maturity while also dropping years from her life, finding her youthful spirit again. Rebecca White gives Amy an appealing mix of eagerness, energy, and dry wit, and Eric Rolland is believable and subtle as a person who might be more interested in defining himself as a “nice guy” than in doing what’s best for Ramona. Stephen Cedars’ direction shows an intimate understanding of Dani Vatere’s characters, showing warmth and energy in the scenes between Ramona and Amy, while using harsher lighting and a colder tone in the flashback scenes between Ramona and David.

Hadrian’s Wall is a smart play, but not because the characters are academics talking about smart people topics. Hadrian’s Wall is a smart play because it shows an intelligent understanding of the dynamics of human relationships. One line about relationships, repeated in the play by two different characters, particularly resonates: “There are always better reasons to leave than to stay.” The line hits a profound truth, but has two different subtexts in two different contexts – because much like ancient stones at excavation sites, love and relationships change over time.

Hadrian’s Wall is playing at the Connelly Theater on August 11th at noon, August 13th at 7 PM, August 16 at 5:15, and August 19 at 8:30.