What I liked
Hilariously funny, with a satisfying narrative. Expert acting, inventive pantomime, engaging and impactful SFX and scoring. Feels as tight as a scripted, but is improvised—and joyful because of it.
Beautiful, committed acting from all involved. Inventive, fun, free, joyous, prescient, timely, evocative. Awesome.
What I didn't like
I mean… I still don’t know what’s to become of Marsha or Martin. That weighs heavily on the soul… I guess we’ll find out in book 2.
My overall impression
Reviewing a show like Dystopia is tricky, because the wickedly talented women who make up the cast of Ripley (the Improv troupe behind it) are also making up the show, as they go along.
The challenge as a reviewer comes in wanting, but being unable, to actually tell you what to expect. I know I cannot promise what, exactly, you have in store when you see this expert cast skillfully create a dystopic world in front of your eyes, then guide you through it to a satisfying conclusion. I can’t, in fact, promise anything about the next show, because the one I saw was completely improvised.
What I can say is that you aren’t likely to see a more capable group of people tell a more engaging story than the one being presented by Ripley’s next Dystopia: whatever it is, it’s bound to be great.
These women are powerhouses, through and through, and they deserve your attention. Watch their show.
