If any of Homebound’s episodes have been pure joy, it is episode 7, “The Date,” written by Dani Stoller, who finally finds Maboud (Maboud Ebrahimzadeh) a match in the charming pixie-ish Lynette (Lynette Rathnam, who is delightful). A match that melts his reserved, halting, and oft-nervous demeanor. How can he move to Minneapolis now (assuming Lynette is in DC, right)?
Turns out that Alina has a boyfriend (way to break my heart, Homebound), but Maboud has grown a nice quarantine beard (almost) and moved on, spending time on the dating app Meet Q-ute, where he’s connected with Lynette. For their first date, he wears a casual button down, and she’s positively bohemian in a strappy, colorful dress, but before they even get on the computer, his mama calls. He dutifully answers her 20 questions, giving at least a dozen rapid fire okays. She must be very bossy. And clearly on his mind.
“You have a nice smile,” Maboud tells Lynette shortly after their date commences.
“Really?” Lynette, a Yoga instructor says, pleased.
“Yeah,” Maboud continues quickly, “you kinda look like my mom.”
Poor Maboud. So nervous, but in a funny, self-deprecating, he-needs-love-and-human-connection-kind-of-way. This will go oh-so-well. But, the thing is, it does. And, kudos to Stoller for giving us this simple gift of seeing how people can continue to bond even while apart. Maboud and Lynette do it first by being honest and open with each other. And then, by having a helluva a lot of fun.
After the heart-to-heart, they each get a drink. Cue the mostly-musical montage, à la every great 1980s film. Maboud on acoustic guitar and Lynette shaking bottles of pills as they duet the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun” (excellent choice). Maboud and Lynette dance-partying it out to R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” (another excellent choice). Maboud and Lynette each cuddling their cats (animal cameos are becoming the unsung heroes of this series).
“One nice thing about being stuck inside,” Lynette says near the end of the date, “you don’t have to pretend to be busy anymore to seem cool.” That’s another reason why this date has gone so well: zero pretense about what the other wants and no need to play games to get it.
Round House Theatre, in a note at the start of this episode, states that each playwright responds to the moment and that each episode is a reflection of the recent past. Episode 7 was written shortly before the national protests over George Floyd’s murder.
This episode catches an almost eerily quiet pause, of sorts, between the pandemic and the protests. That moment when it seemed like the coronavirus’ spread was slowing, and the world could, maybe, begin anew or focus on other things. But then George Floyd was murdered. And enough was enough. Next week, Agyeiwaa Asante’s episode will be set during the Black Lives Matter protests in DC.
Like the pandemic, the protests have forever altered the United States in a short period of time and these two figurative waves—the coronavirus and the outcomes and aftermath of the national protests—are on a collision course. For both good and bad. The pandemic continues to spread and the protests are necessary, and their timing is right for so many reasons.
For now, however, Homebound’s little slice of commentary is juggling the seriousness of it all very well. “The Date” provides a much needed lightness—sweetly, funnily, gently nodding to the bygone days where pop culture disagreements were the biggest chasms between two people.
Round House Theatre’s Homebound is an original webseries that explores life under Stay-at-Home orders in the Nation’s Capital.”The Date” was written by Dani Stoller. Directed by Ryan Rilette. Featuring Lynette Rathnam and Round House Theatre Resident Artist Maboud Ebrahimzadeh. Produced by Ryan Rilette and Ed Zakreski. Post Production Courtesy of Digital Cave. Edited by Joshua Land. Original Music Courtesy of The Curious Music Company. Sound Design & Audio Post Production by Matthew Nielson. Reviewed by Kelly McCorkendale.
The 10 episode Homebound series is produced as a benefit for Round House Theatre’s Resilience Fund.
View the entire series here.
