It’s too bad that this new play by Stephanie Timm, which hinges on the tension between biology (represented by a high-school science teacher) and Christianity (a preacher), gets the theory of evolution wrong. Granted, On the Nature of Dust is a science-fiction fable: The play’s main character, a sweet high-school girl named Clara, transforms into a chimpanzee, a blue-footed booby, a newt, a sunfish, etc. But when the biology teacher describes this central metaphor as “devolving, going backward,” as if natural selection travels in a straight line from mitochondria to monkeys to us (just to be clear—it doesn’t), it lets the intellectual air out of the tires. What could have been a rich metaphor for adolescent transformation is reduced to a gimmick.
Dust is a study in misunderstanding. Clara (Brenda Joyner) is a studious girl growing distant from her mother (Amy Thone), a scattered woman who cares more about her next date than paying the electricity bill. (Her favorite admonition, “I am NOT cleaning this up,” seems subconsciously directed at her own messy life.) Clara’s biology teacher (Betsy Schwartz) trades barbs with her pastor (Michael Patten) as the two keep running into each other while shopping. Clara’s goofy but good-hearted boyfriend (Ben Harris) is the only one of the bunch who seems more interested in Clara than himself. An early scene between the two of them on a school bus is the play’s warmest and most engaging—partly because Timm’s writing is best in the small, intimate scenes and partly because of the sweet, shy chemistry between Harris and Joyner.
But the play’s energy drains as human-Clara disappears, letting the thin metaphor take her place. Her transformation triggers learning and growing among the grown-ups in predictable, pat ways. The biologist and the preacher question their respective faiths (would it surprise you to learn that they swap lecterns?), and the mother comes to terms with her daughter’s changes. “Be whoever or whatever you want to be,” she concludes. But you probably saw that coming. 
Really? That’s all you have to say? I agree the evangelism vs science was a little pat and the outcome predictable, and that these scenes were not central to the main dynamic movement of the show, but they were still entertaining due to phenomenal acting. The real point is that the ‘gimmick’ (despite the lack of intellectual underpinning – who cares? its a play) was a rich metaphor for transformation, and not just adolescent. Mom Shirley, played rivetingly by Thone, was the central character. These actors (especially Thone!) are so good that I’d buy anything from them, and yes I cried despite the goofy gimick and, as a parent, was touched on several levels (including intellectually).
Yes… I’m afraid that’s all I have to say. This was an underwhelming production. The Adding Machine is still NCTC’s high-water mark.
I’ve seen a lot of theater in Seattle in the last 25 years, and On The Nature of Dust tops my list of plays that delighted me. The night I saw the show, me and the packed audience laughed our asses off and were moved to tears an audible sniffles. Yes, the acting is amazing. The play is inventive, original and thought provoking on its exploration of love and personal beliefs. Bravo to Timms – what an exciting new voice not only in our town but in the world of Theater.
I am surprised at all of the positive reactions this show is getting. The script had a few moments that were good, but overall it was not a play about exploration, story, or asking questions…all things that NCTC are proponents of. The jokes weren’t funny and even the acting, surprisingly, was not fantastic (normally I love these actors, and I blame it on the script, which had no depth to it). I believe the problem is that people have decided that they will buy anything from the actors & people at NCTC (which, until this play, we had every reason to believe that everything they touch would be gold). But wake up! This play was not good.
Brendan-
Thanks for your piece here. I LOVE NCTC. LOVE with capital letters but this show was seriously meh…I think it’s important that everyone doesn’t just bandwagon here and pretend that this show is something better than it is just because the Adding Machine was effing rad and just because the collective group of actors in the company are effing rad. I was straight up bored during this show and while the acting was just fine (Amy Thone can almost do no wrong), the play was obvious, sentimental and so predictable and the butterfly at the end?? Jeez…
So thanks for offering another opinion here and for understanding that giving a less than superlative review doesn’t mean that the company itself is deficient. They need to be held accountable for both the so good and not so good too.
and @fictional-totally agree!
Love the company, loved Timm’s “Crumbs” script back at W.E.T., but was also underwhelmed with this one.
I am a big NCTC fanboy, and I found “Dust” to be an example of great artists taking a huge risk and resulting in excellent, if imperfect work. Did it miss the mark at times? Of course. Are we a bit desensitized after “The Adding Machine”? We are. My take: these very-talented actors were working with a difficult script and took strong choices, displaying an 100% devoted ensemble united behind one artistic vision. Some elements could have been worked a bit more thoroughly, like the Pastor/Teacher characters and the visual representation of Clara’s transformation. But overall, my impression is that in the choice of this play, the NCTC was saying “WE CAN DO ANYTHING. We’ve done a serious, gritty show from the early 20th century and made it electric, then we took a contemporary, emotional show and made it raw. What next? How about an original comedy?” And it worked. Was it perfect? No, but I’m of the camp that thinks playwriting is the most difficult job in theatre – good scripts stick around for centuries because they’re solid; writing a good new work, especially a comedy, is very, very challenging. These actors worked with what they had brilliantly, and for how different it was from their previous shows, it still bore the stamp of NCTC through and through. I’ll be damned if these aren’t the bravest theatre artists in town.
How is it that the article and every comment following failed to mention Amy Thone’s courageous and compelling transformation into a mother who was able to set her daughter free?
because you’re the only one who was impressed by it?
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