Being unable to stop thinking about a show is one of the highest forms of unspoken praise that can be given to a production. Donald Margulies' Sight Unseen, brilliantly produced by the Brandeis Ensemble Theater (BET) last weekend, was a journey of self-discovery for the both the characters in the play and the audience members. The cast and crew of Sight Unseen transported viewers beyond the walls of the Carl J. Shapiro Theater into the world of the play's three central characters whose love triangles, financial concerns and self-identity issues forced the audience to question and reflect upon their own beliefs. Sight Unseen is a dramatic story of self-loss and lost love: Jonathan Waxman dated Patricia back at college in New York when he was still a struggling artist coming to terms with his own creative style as well as his Jewish heritage. After ending their relationship following the death of Jonathan's mother, the play opens with the pair's reunion 15 years later. Jonathan is now the wealthy, successful savior of the art world, and Patricia has been living in England and with her archeologist husband, Nick, for over eight years. The history of this love triangle is revealed during the course of the play as Patricia tries to reconcile her feelings for her ex-lover while Nick deals with feelings of jealousy and inadequacy in his marriage, and Jonathan attempts to rediscover new artistic inspiration in his old flame.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Sight Unseen was that the scenes are not presented in chronological order. The play actually ends with the plot's earliest scene, the first time Jonathan and Patricia kissed 17 years ago. Such a format not only infused the play with extra suspense, but forced the characters' personal histories and mannerisms to unfold over time. Sight Unseen plays out like a Quentin Tarantino movie-without all the excessive violence, of course. It tantalizes the viewerwith a suspenseful storyline and keeps them on the edge of their seats.

Although the play only featured four performers, the actors and actresses of Sight Unseen commanded the stage as they completely drew the audience into their compelling portrayal of their roles. Mike Davidson '05 as Jonathan perfectly captured the artist's suave facade in front of soul-searching, inner persona. Davidson's cool stage presence contrasted nicely with that of Michelle Baron '05, who played the cheerfully unhappy Patricia with great energy. With his endearing English accent, Sam Levor '07 immediately won over the audience as Patricia's ever-doting husband, Nick. Although she had the least time on stage, Jessa Saidel '07 made her mark in her role as Grete. Saidel's portrayal of the hard-line, insincere German arts reporter provided some of the show's most captivating moments resulting from her snide questions and anti-Semitic comments.

The play's title refers to a point in the play where Nick attacked Jonathan for working off commission and criticized art patrons for purchasing a piece that is a "sight unseen." Yet beneath the surface, "sight unseen" was presented as a concept that one's actions in the present will affect the future and the futures of their loved ones. This is particularly evident in the relationship between Patricia and Jonathan, as their break-up is still a shadow that haunts them 15 years later and a ghost that Nick can't escape in his marriage.

Sight Unseen does an extraordinary job at delving into deep topics and divisive issues, such as inter-faith dating, the cost of fame, and the real nature of love. Each perspective is presented to the audience from multiple angles. The personalities and philosophies of the four characters were frequently explored as they debated the truthful way to perceive a work of art. While Jonathan sees his painting "What is Night?" as an exploration of multi-racial relationships, Grete can only see the work as a black man raping a white woman in a Jewish cemetery. Nick views this painting, like all of Jonathan's works, as "hideous pornography," while Patricia only comments on the white woman's unhappiness which she empathizes with as a result of own misery. Sight Unseen is truly a powerful exploration of art through the medium of theatrical writing.

Even though they were not physically present on stage, the hard work of the crew and production staff on Sight Unseen shined through. A monitor showed the time and setting at the start of each scene to help the audience stay on track seeing as the play's plot was not a continuous narrative. The set, from the farmhouse in England to the art studio where Jonathan and Patricia first met, was planned out with meticulous detail as the production staff had to take into account that the story did not take place in the same period. From the kitchen cupboards cleverly suspended in the air to Jonathan's paint palette, each aspect of the set helped make the audience feel like a part of the characters' world.

There is only one word to describe BET's production of Sight Unseen-phenomenal. The stars of this powerful play, who ranged from theater majors to students who pursue acting as hobby, marvelously adapted to the specific personalities their characters required. Kudos to all involved with the show, especially first-time director Rebecca Collura '04. Sight Unseen without a doubt was one of the must-see theatrical productions of the year here at Brandeis and a worthy inclusion in The Festival of the Arts schedule.