My overall impression
Watching The Wake seriously blew my mind. Ben Moroski had every single person in that audience in the palm of his hand lingering on his every word, every subtle look or gesture, and every minute detail of his flawless performance. Ben is one of the most captivating actors I have ever seen. There is something so genuine and raw about his performances that you become completely submerged in his reality that you forget where you really are. Every aspect of the show was impeccable. The writing was beyond brilliant in the way you are led through the thought process of the character Pete. I was so invested in the story and character that I found myself actually starting to sympathize with Pete’s eerie reasoning at times, which then made me question my own sanity! I think this was partly because I started to see and actually believe the “love”/obsession Pete had for this girl thanks to Ben’s unique and subtle underlying layer of compassion that he brought to the role—no matter how twisted the storyline. The direction by Nick Massouh was phenomenal. There wasn’t a single thing I’d change about the show. It had so many brilliant details in the performance, writing, and direction that I would love to see it several times over to pick up on everything. Moroski and Massouh are an unstoppable pair. I honestly cannot rave about The Wake enough. I felt like I had just gotten off a thrill ride when I left the theater. Seriously, one of the best pieces I’ve ever seen.
