Swimming to Cecile (premiere 1988), is a personal lamentation inspired by the loss of a deceased parent. A solo figure at a microphone recites a monologue to that lost person – “Where are you? I don’t know where you’re hiding. I just want to talk with you.” In 1990, the Washington Post said, “in its acknowledgement of loss, its existential questioning and its search for comfort where it can be found, Swimming to Cecile is a profoundly moving work.”
Dedicated to Pimsler’s mother, who died when he was fifteen, this trio for three women is a bittersweet tribute. The striking stage design by Ronald Kajiwara is a white swimming pool through which the performers attempt to reunite.
“…a remarkable echoing expression of longing and loneliness.” – The Chicago Tribune (1988)
Swimming to Cecile from Stuart Pimsler on Vimeo.