Play by Paul Zindel has lonely woman (Ruth White) getting a job as a night-time cleaner in a research lab where animal experimentation occurs. It seems there's a dolphin there that scientists of trying to teach to talk so that the sea mammals can be used in warfare.
Once the woman learns of the real purpose for the experiments and once the dolphin begins to speak to her (asking for help) it changes her attitude and she decides to help the animal escape by delivering it to a nearby river where it can find its way back to the sea.
Although there are differences, the basic plot of this play is very similar to THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017) which elaborates on the basic ideas and characters.
White is very good as the not-too-bright woman who slowly comes to realization that she indeed has a connection to the dolphin. Elizabeth Wilson is also terrific as the supervisor who easily bats away any pesky ideas about the morality of experimenting on animals. Philip Bruns plays the annoying handyman, and Iggie Wolfington and Anthony Holland play the scientists.
The only thing that works against this 2-act play is the puppet and voice used for the dolphin. Even by 1969 standards, it's pretty primitive.
