Racing to the Point to See ‘Never Swim Alone’
Content warning: ‘Never Swim Alone’ contains depictions of violence. While these topics are not discussed in depth in this review, they are prominent topics in the performance.
Two businessmen, one lifeguard, and a thirteen-round competition of one-upmanship to crown a victor, but what are they competing for? Power? Fame? A business deal? And why did the mysterious lifeguard sit perfectly still, draped in a ghostly white cloth for nearly half an hour before the show began? Never Swim Alone, written by Daniel MacIvor and directed by Olivia Buchanan, dives headfirst into the competitive nature of social hierarchy and toxic masculinity. Throughout their thirteen-round competition, the two men fight to assert their dominance over one another, scrambling to be the best, while the audience, at the same time, faces a challenge of their own: to predict who is Man 1 and who is Man 2, because within the suitcase of supposedly-higher-ranking Man 1, there is a gun.
Henry Hamilton and Ryan Larkin, playing Frank and Bill respectively, embodied their characters with precision and ease. From the moment they stepped on stage, the two matched each other’s taunting, creating an energy that felt both natural and comedically timed. As they sparred back and forth with insults, making snide remarks about the other to nearby audience members, they still made it clear their characters have some sort of long-standing history and mysterious resentment. From their posture to their enunciation, both actors carried themselves with the confidence of seasoned businessmen, it was as if you were watching two competitive executives fighting in a corporate setting. Their performances set the tone for the entire piece: put-together on the surface, but simmering with hostility underneath, perfectly capturing the play’s duality.
An especially impressive aspect of the show is Hamilton and Larkin’s synchronization. Many lines of dialogue required them to speak in perfect unison, matching their speed, inflections, and tone, and the two absolutely delivered. Additionally, rather than maintaining a distance from the audience, the play starts with both actors waking onto the pavilion stage, personally greeting audience members with firm handshakes and polite smiles before badmouthing their opponent from across the stage. Throughout the performance, they continued to engage with the crowd, exchanging knowing looks and rolling their eyes, which created a sense of involvement and made each audience member feel included in the play’s escalating tension.
Because Hamilton and Larkin were constantly interacting with the audience, Hayley Watson’s performance as the lifeguard and referee to their mysterious competition stood out even more. While the two businessmen filled the space with conflict and noise, Watson did the opposite. She mostly stayed confined to the space around her bench, yet her acting was incredibly emotional and nuanced, making the performance more mysterious. She communicated emotion without speaking. Her expression shifted subtly, changing the entire mood: amusing, comedic, perplexing, or unsettling. Watson’s lifeguard grounded the show, reminding anyone who looked her way that there is something much deeper and more haunting happening beneath the surface.
Director Buchanan’s vision for Never Swim Alone was exceptional. The minimal use of props and classic wardrobe allowed the natural setting to take shine. Staged at the Newlands Pavilion, right on shore of Lake Ontario , the production fit perfectly. With major moments of the play taking place at a beach, the environment itself became part of the story. The surrounding beauty added layers to the experience: the waves crashing, the birds chirping, and the sun setting at the perfect moment created an atmosphere that was both dramatic and dynamic. One amusing moment came when two audience members switched seats to escape the blinding sun, prompting Bill to boast how his side of the pavilion was clearly superior, an entirely unscripted yet hilarious moment.
Though the pavilion’s design was both unique and spacious, at times it did present some visibility and auditory challenges. When the actors stood in the center of the stage, they could be clearly seen and heard from anywhere in the audience. However, when they moved to its far ends, it was easy to lose sight of them, and at times, difficult to hear or fully comprehend the subtlety of their dialogue without the support of their visual cues.
Never Swim Alone is one of those shows that stays with you for all the right reasons: the themes, the performances, the setting. The play felt varied and alive. For their inaugural production, HouseOnFire really nailed it. I left feeling both entertained and reflective, and I’m excited to see what they bring to the stage next.
‘Never Swim Alone’ was HouseOnFire’s inaugural production at ‘Newlands Pavilion’ and ran from October 2-4, 2025. More information about them can be found on their Instagram page.
