Secrets haunt family for 80 years in ‘Rain’

The unraveling of destructive family secrets is at the heart of the haunting drama “When the Rain Stops Falling,” playing at San Luis Obispo Little Theatre.

The one-act play, which premiered in 2008, was written by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell. It was named “Best New Play of the Year” by Time magazine in 2010.

Shifting between 1959 and 2039, the multi-layered saga spans four generations, exposing the connections between seven family members at different stages of their lives.

The complicated plot, which moves back and forth in time, is supported by a character family tree that is included in the program. Audiences are encouraged to study the diagram before the performance begins.

In 2039, Gabriel York (Gregg Wolff) lives alone in a small apartment in the desert city of Alice Springs, Australia. He is anxious about a looming visit from his adult son, Andrew (Sergio Gavidia), whom he has not seen since the boy was seven years old.

While Gabriel is shopping for food to serve his estranged son, a fish mysteriously falls from the sky during a rainstorm — landing at Gabriel’s feet. Eighty years earlier, Gabriel’s grandfather, Henry Law (Nathan Emmons), had predicted such a phenomenon.

At that point, “When the Rain Stops Falling” returns to the past.

We meet Henry and his young wife, Elizabeth (Gwendolyn Gay), in 1959. They live in a small London flat with their young son, Gabriel.

After a dark secret is revealed, Henry leaves his family and travels to Australia.

In 1988, grown-up Gabriel Law (Gregory Gorrindo) — who has a bitter relationship with his mother (now played by Rosh Wright) — goes to Australia to discover more about his father. There, he falls in love with a girl, Gabrielle York (Erin Parsons), who has her own ominous family secrets.

Gabrielle becomes pregnant with Gabriel’s child and eventually marries Joe Ryan (Michael Siebrass). Even as an older woman (Jill Turnbow), she continues to be haunted by the ghosts of her past.

Ultimately, Gabrielle’s son Gabriel York — yes, the one with the mysterious fish — must come to terms with his ancestors’ emotional turmoil and parenting missteps.

Each actor courageously tackles the seriousness of this drama with a high level of talent.

At the start of the play, Wolff delivers a striking monologue that sets the stage for the mystery to follow.

Wright and Gay adeptly play the old and young Elizabeth with shrewd forcefulness and hidden sadness. Turnbow and Parsons show great depth in their performances as the emotionally burdened older and younger Gabrielle.

Emmons quietly projects the disturbing behaviors surrounding Henry. Meanwhile, Gorrindo portrays Henry’s son, Gabriel, with curiosity and defiance. Siebrass as Joe and Gavidia as Andrew round out the quality performances.

David Linfield’s set design consists of movable gray partitions and blocks, while Keith Wetzel’s costumes are simple and drab. Both support the melancholy mood of the show.

Video of rain and ocean waves is projected on a screen at the back of the stage to supplement the story. In addition, the year and location of each scene is shown on screens at the sides of the stage, which helps clarify the challenging timeline.

Kevin Harris is the lighting and sound designer. The stage manager is Pam Hester.

Expertly directed by Ron Clark, the impact of family strife on future generations is dutifully explored in this disturbing story of love, betrayal and abandonment.

This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Secrets haunt family for 80 years in ‘Rain’."