A Conversation with Director Beth Lopes, “Small Mouth Sounds,” California Repertory Company at CSULB, by James Scarborough

In Bess Wohl’s “Small Mouth Sounds,” silence becomes both medium and message. Director Beth Lopes navigates this innovative theatrical landscape where six strangers gather at a woodland retreat, their unspoken narratives creating a tapestry of human connection. The production challenges conventional theatrical discourse by privileging gesture over dialogue, transforming silence into an eloquent communicative tool.

Lopes, known for her work with heightened text and fantastical elements, brings her distinctive directorial vision to this piece. The production’s strength lies in its ability to articulate the profound through the subtle – a glance, a shift, a breath. This approach aligns with Lopes’ commitment to contemporary relevance, demonstrating how modern isolation and disconnection paradoxically foster connection.

The play’s structural innovation serves its thematic concerns. Without traditional dialogue as a crutch, the production forces us to engage more deeply with the visual and emotional vocabulary of theater. This artistic choice resonates particularly in our noise-saturated era, where silence has become an increasingly rare commodity.

Below follows an email conversation with the director:

JS: How does directing a largely silent play challenge traditional directing methodologies?

BL: As someone who directs a lot of classics, the text is sacred to me. It’s the entry point of the play and the foundation on which all other elements are built. With Small Mouth Sounds, I had to redefine what I considered text. Stage directions, which in the past I’ve treated as more of a guide than a requirement, became our north star. The physical and emotional actions of the characters, as instructed by Bess Wohl, taught us who these people are and how they interact with the world. That being said, even the most detailed stage directions can’t account for every moment on stage, so there necessarily had to be room for improvisation in the process, as well. I had a professor who remarked that directors should fit their technique to the play and not the other way around and that has never been more true for me than working on Small Mouth Sounds. From design meetings to auditions to opening night, I’ve had to adjust my process to fit the needs of this delightfully unique piece. 

JS: Elaborate on your approach to creating character development without the usual scaffold of dialogue.

BL: The process asked an enormous amount of our actors. Early on we had many one or two person discussions, talking in detail about timelines and motivations and back story. Those details that might feel on the periphery in a more traditional script felt vital with this one. We also spent time building trust within character relationships and within the ensemble as a whole. Without dialogue, the actors are bare on the stage and playing these characters every night requires an enormous amount of vulnerability. The bravery needed for this kind of vulnerability is immense and I’ve been in awe every day of this cast’s commitment to these characters and our story. 

JS: What role does the woodland setting play in the dramatic architecture of the piece?

BL: Nature is a hugely important element in this piece! Our wonderful sound designer Eden discovered quickly that a silent play meant even more work for her. What the retreaters discover about the silent retreat is that the world is anything but silent when one chooses to listen. The rustling of leaves. Mosquitos buzzing. A hawk passing by. All of the beautiful things that we can hear in nature when the air isn’t filled with the sound of person-made noise. 

JS: How did you work with your design team to create an environment that supports this unique theatrical language?

BL: Each design language needed to support the world in unique ways. Because the characters go in and out of various locations, the scenic world needed to be largely gestural and abstract. For costumes, they needed to tell the story of the retreaters getting broken down and built back up through realistic clothing arcs. (Not to mention that they had the added challenge of a huge amount of onstage changes and having to preset clothing in luggage.) For sound and lighting, they needed to both represent super realistic locations and soundscapes and then move into more abstract and emotional landscapes. And then, of course, I have to make sure that all of these designs coalesce into one cohesive world.  

JS: How does this production align with your interest in “pieces with heightened text”?

BL: One of the things I love about heightened text is the departure from realism. For me, theater is a place for magic and the poetry of heightened text adds to that feeling. The magic of Small Mouth Sounds is the exploration of how life feels rather than the reality of how it looks and sounds. We’re with these characters during this formative moment of their lives and every breath and glance feels significant. 

JS: How does the audience’s role shift when watching a predominantly silent performance?

BL: Hopefully they can’t help but lean forward! When watching this show, you can’t rely on zoning out and catching the dialogue here and there. If you lose focus, you may miss something pivotal that makes the rest of the play make sense. It requires an enormous amount of focus and investment, but, if people are open to it, I think the investment will pay off in big ways. 

JS: What drew you to this piece?

BL: I’d be lying if I said the challenge of it wasn’t a huge draw. I’ve never read or seen anything like it and I was definitely intrigued by how I’d have to adjust my process to fit this play. And I was also really moved by the piece. The first time I read it I was struck by how relevant it felt to this moment in time. And how needed. In the wake of COVID and the division and strife in our world right now, this play loudly bellows (pun intended) that connection is essential. 

JS: How does your background in Shakespeare inform your direction of contemporary works like this?

BL: Working on Shakespeare is like going to the gym for heightened emotion and athletic storytelling. I always feel grateful for those muscles when working on contemporary theater. The words or structure may not be the same, but in great contemporary plays the emotion and athleticism remains. I find that my Shakespeare experience encourages exciting and visceral language and storytelling in whatever pieces I have the opportunity to work on.    

JS: What do you hope audiences will take away from this unique theatrical experience?

BL: I hope audiences come and participate in the retreat. Adhere to the silence. Listen. Focus. Definitely laugh. Maybe cry. Most importantly, open themselves to the experience. This piece is about the connection that is possible when we eliminate the noise of what divides us. I hope people will take the opportunity to eliminate the noise and to come be with us. And, if they do, I think they may leave feeling a profound connection that we all so desperately need right now. 

Performances are October 24-26, October 30-November 1 at 7:30 PM, and November 2 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $25 for General Admission, $23 for Students, Military & Seniors (55 and older). The University Theater is located at the Theatre Arts Building, accessible via 7th Street and East Campus Drive, CSULB. For more information, click here.