Review: ‘The Skriker,’ a Columbia MFA directing thesis

Delia Dumont’s immersive Columbia University School of the Arts directing thesis of “The Skriker” raised questions on what is right or wrong, real or fake, and ultimately, reality as a whole.

India Shea (GSAS '25) as The Skriker

Photo provided by Delia Dumont

By Cai Dewrell

November 24, 2025

The Columbia University School of the Arts presented Delia Dumont’s (GSAS ’26) directing thesis production of “The Skriker” by Caryl Churchill the weekend of October 16 in the Lenfest Center of the Arts. The play was immersive, featuring direct dialogue with the audience and multiple moments where actors stood around the crowd, staring and taunting. The production challenged the idea of true reality, suggesting that it is subjective and based on what we can and cannot see. 

The plot follows the strong-willed Josie (Pauline Lara, GSAS ’26), who recently took the life of her newborn baby, and the softer, saner Lily (Katie Parkinson), who is pregnant throughout most of the play. Lily and Josie both grapple with their definition of reality and motherhood while being tormented by an ancient Faerie, the Skriker. Lily and Josie’s relationship is left vague, but it is easy to see the long-standing connection their characters had before the Skriker’s involvement. 

The Skriker yearns for Lily’s baby, believing a baby would revive the powers of ancient Faerie, and wishes vengeance on the human race for the damage humankind has inflicted on nature. The Skriker focuses on one victim at a time, fulfilling wishes for them upon request. They appear almost constantly once they choose a human. Having fallen victim to the Skriker’s psychological torture in the past, Josie wants to protect Lily, but Lily distrusts her since she was recently released from a mental health facility. 

It is difficult to watch Lily reject Josie’s continuous warnings about the Skriker, but Lara and Parkinson’s onstage chemistry makes it hard for the audience to look away. Lara’s natural strength contrasts with Parkinson’s natural softness, effectively exhibiting both when opposites attract and when they can simply simply oppose one another. 

The titular Skriker (India Shea, GSAS ’25) is a multi-dimensional shape-shifter who is drawn to Lily’s pregnancy after Josie wishes the Skriker to torment Lily instead of herself. The Skriker has control over an alternate Faerie realm, engaging playfully with exuberant animal and human-like creatures. Played by Henry Sirota, Chloe Clark, Jordan Ward, and Amiere Bell, these beings torment other humans, as well as the audience in Dumont’s immersive staging. At high-tension moments in the show, they surrounded the Skriker from the audience level, standing close to the audience to glare and gesture wildly. 

Shea expertly performed the Skriker’s nonsensical, altered speech and unconventional behavioral patterns. The absurd manner of speaking was most impactful during the minutes-long opening monologue of the play, directly delivered to the audience with intentional, piercing eye contact. Additionally, as a shape-shifted human, the Skriker effectively tricked Josie multiple times. Shea offered a convincing portrayal of the creature's performance of what it means to be human.

Dumont’s direction of “The Skriker” created a cornucopia of realms onstage, effectively employing transitions between set designs that represent the different worlds, from human to fairy. The highlight of the production was the technical element of the show, particularly the compelling sound design by Zoe Stanton-Savitz (GSAS ’24). Rhythmic synth beats played during transitions as the play shifted into the fairy realm to contrast the quiet and organic background noise in the human realm. Additionally, during the Skriker’s lines, sound intensified in volume and distorted its voice, blending the realms and shocking the audience.

The set was relatively minimal, with a few furniture items such as a couch, a bar, and a picnic blanket, allowing the characters and their intricate costumes to dominate the space instead. For example, the ensemble of animal and human-like characters that had their own storyline appeared mostly during transitions that made the set feel rich, despite the lack of permanent set pieces. However, an aspect that did not seem to fit the plot was the passerby underneath a streetlight (Sophia Parker, GSAS ’26), who danced throughout the play in spastic motions. While an interesting visual, the passerby’s relationship to the plot in any way was unclear, and at times became confusing and distracting.

“The Skriker” is an enigmatic play. Dumont did an excellent job of keeping the audience up to pace with its realm-shifting plot, although I could not always keep up with the rising conflict as the play progressed and became increasingly complex. 

Despite the confusing nature of the piece at times, the production entertained, shocked, and engaged the audience. Dumont delicately balanced the enigmatic nature of the play with artistic choices to a considerable degree. Lily and Josie’s ever-changing relationship because of the Skriker was presented from each character’s point of view, leaving the audience with a new perspective on what is right or wrong, real or fake, and ultimately, reality as a whole. An effort to keep up with the show’s plot was required of the viewer, but the result was a production that challenged the audience as much as it moved them.