What I liked
(SPOILERS)
The humor was right on the money by not making jokes about the weapons and wounds. If the characters thought their situation was ridiculous and far-fetched, we as an audience would not have matched the energy. Instead we got to be on the other side of a looking glass, laughing with each other instead of with the actors/characters. And I really loved the character of Seth. I loved that we got no sense of his personality when referenced before and then his introduction was fantastic. Hilarious and surprising, only to then immediately make us question who we can trust if a teddy bear like that can do such harm. The three main characters had really lovely and surprising development.
Also I cannot skip mentioning the special effect make up. Really really wonderful job, it was disgusting.
What I didn't like
(SPOILERS)
Building the transitions into the story telling (rather than the blue outs) would help with moving the story along. I view a future version of this story being told almost toward the style of Ivo van Hove’s rendition of A View From The Bridge. With an all white floor and when Mika (sic?) gets injured, blood spills and it stays – or intentionally gets cleaned by the actors – to visual show the mark wounds have on everyone. Walking through the bloody floor barefoot leaves a trail. And with that you can also play with how much of the set you need to look an exact way. I don’t think it needs to be as absurd as Ivo van Hove, but watching it tonight showed how much play there can be between reality and limbo. It’ll help with the pacing and could bring the audience even MORE into the story. Because as it is now still does a really wonderful job and I see so much in this funky world that you all created!
Another thing, I want more of the friend. The final scene was /almost/ very powerful, if we got to know the friend a little more. It’s hard in this time frame, but maybe there is a future two act version that gives us more of that character.
My overall impression
Maybe ghosting isn’t that bad…
I had such a fun time with this one! It started out with great laughs and an absolutely gruesome premise, and ended with me reevaluating how we approach, respect, and tend to romantic wounds. Sometimes we need the threat of physical scarring to see how someone else’s wounds can still effect ourselves.
There is a wider space out there to explore this concept and dig deeper than we already saw. I suggest seeing it this time around because hopefully this is not the final iteration of this piece! The theater is big for a fringe show and yet the audience’s laughs and gasps and groans all filled the room nicely. I hope every audience enjoys Heart Held At Knife Point as much as we did! Oh, and that special effect makeup!!
