Review by anonymous
June 23, 2024 certified reviewerWhat I liked
The cast was excellent, and fit their roles very well. The world building went deep and was very immersive. The magic system was well thought out. A good balance between real-world and fantasy world keeps the energy high. Character archetypes are clear, making the world feel familiar even when things get complicated. Yotor adds good comic relief.
What I didn't like
The dialogue treads on the wordy side- While lengthy world history and detailing the magic system is important, it can make the meat of the story (characters and their motivations) become lost. Important exposition needs to be presented more clearly- I understand the overal concept and plot structure, but basic things like how the characters got to exiled to the real world (but still lived full lives despite already living full lives?), or what sort of terrible war is going on in the magic world, gets lost. The British accents should be dropped. Characters and situations are cliche at times, particularly with MG and Kara’s real-world life. Kara/Fin’s love triangle with Theo and Ray is hard to understand and never gets settled in a satisfying way. The lack of a real antagonist makes the stakes feel too low.
My overall impression
A strong reading of what has the potential to be a decent play / series. T. W. Steward’s world building is a delight for fantasy buffs; with Witch covens, ancient rulers, and deeply thought out magic rituals, there is lots of room to dive into lore and mechanics of a strange magical world. For the non-magic lovers, there is plenty of grounded, real-world heart throughout the performance. However, its complicated magic system and deep lore at times clouds the plot development and character motivation. With some polishing, this play has potential.
