What I liked
Let me start by saying I’m a game dev, and found this depiction of the industry extremely true-to-life (including some of the less pleasant parts of the job, I’ll say diplomatically)! I particularly liked the choreography and performance of the buggy diver!
The fact that the theater was packed and that the show is currently sold-out online should tell you something. I feel confident that this isn’t the last you’ll hear of One Up, and I urge you to get a ticket as soon as you can!
As a producer of theater, I was very impressed by their use and reuse of props and the ingenuity they demonstrated. (I’m thinking specifically of painting what I think were shoeboxes to look like old-school Nintendo consoles!) This attention to detail and wisdom is employed throughout all aspects of the production.
Fans of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow will definitely enjoy this. Apart from the similar setting, the heart and pluck of the heroes should resonate with anyone trying to make it in a difficult field filled with difficult people.
What I didn't like
There was a bit of variation in the singing talent among the main performers, but not so much that it majorly distracted from the production as a whole.
My overall impression
A lively new musical about the dawn of modern gaming (and the people who make those games possible)!
