House on Fire Theatre’s ‘Never Swim Alone’ packs emotional punch

As the sun began to set over the St. Lawrence River, audiences were treated to an outdoor spectacle like no other.

Kingston’s newest student theatre company, House on Fire Theatre, opened its inaugural production, Daniel MacIvor’s darkly comic Never Swim Alone at the scenic Newlands Pavilion located at the end of Barrie St. from Oct. 2 to 4. The Journalattended the show’s final performance on Oct. 4. The show was sold out, with an audience of approximately forty people. Presented in theatre-of-the-round, the show told a gripping story of ego, rivalry, and guilt.

The play marks the directorial debut for Olivia Buchanan, ArtSci  26. House on Fire Theatre’s co-founders Henry Hamilton, ArtSci ’28, and Ryan Larkin, ArtSci ’28, star as Frank and Bill, childhood friends-turned-rivals who spend the performance locked in a series of absurd, ritualized contests.

From arguing over who can tell the better story to whose suit is nicer, Frank and Bill’s battles are scored like rounds in a boxing match, judged by a referee played by Hayley Watson, ArtSci ’26, who observes the two men compete from the middle of the stage and decides each round’s winner. As the rounds continue, the contests grow stranger and darker, peeling back layers of bravado until a shared childhood tragedy surfaces, revealing the origin of their endless competition.

Frank and Bill’s back and forth bickering makes up the bulk of the show’s dialogue. For principal actors and producers Larkin and Hamilton, being involved in the production so heavily on- and offstage sometimes complicatedcommunication.

“Sometimes the lines do get blurry,” Buchanan said in an interview with The Journal. “We just remind ourselves when we need it of how we’re speaking and who we’re speaking to in which role, because the boys are wearing many hats.”

Performed outdoors, Never Swim Alone used its surroundings to deepen its themes of isolation. “Lots of people have described when the show begins, they hear seagulls or the sound of the water,” Buchanan said. “You couldn’t’t pay an actor a sound cue to do that, it would sound too prepared.”

While environmental effects were left up to the elements, the play’s script was meticulously crafted. Buchanan aimed to balance the comedy with grief. “People tend to enjoy themselves for the first half of the show, and then the second half gets a little bit less fun, a little bit more serious,” she said. “We wanted audiences to consider the consequences of actions, and deal with tragedy and comedy at the same time.” Larkin and Hamilton’s performances toward the end of the show expressed deep emotions, bringing many audience members to tears.

A particularly charged moment came when Frank knocked Bill to the ground, instigating a physical fight that almost ended in death. Staring into Bill’s eyes as he lay on the floor sent a chill down my spine, almost making me forget I was watching a play.

Moments like relied on strong chemistry between the actors, something Buchanan attributed to her direction. “My goal was to challenge them, but also help push them to be better actors, better performers, and better collaborators,” she said. “It’s always more engaging when your actors are really acting with each other.”

The show’s final performance felt like the payoff of a risk well-taken. “Every show is different, which is very exciting,” Buchanan said. “I hope this audience can just see all the work that the cast and the crew [have] done.”

With Never Swim Alone, House on Fire Theatre proved bold risks and raw settings can yield something unforgettable. The result is a production that feels as spontaneous and alive as the space it inhabits, leaving audiences laughing, uneasy, and deeply moved.