What I liked
The actors were great. The content is timely and I like the idea of being in a small theatre space as a small prison room- it works.
What I didn't like
Already commented on improvements in my overall impression, but if the blocking is kept as it is, I’d recommend you at least have a clear boundary- there was a moment where each character crossed oddly into the other person’s side, and it was obviously for effect, but it was confusing.
My overall impression
So, this is more specifically a “suggestion” than I typically like to give, because hey, this isn’t my show, after all. But I just have to say,because I see a future for this show- I think this is begging to be something a little different than what it is- maybe a solo show- we either need WAY more of the reporter, or way less… or maybe keep Rachel without doing too much to the script and simply make her sit in the front row and give all of the stage space to Jonathan- the current setup takes away from the impact of the piece- also the current blocking minimizes the potential of the whole thing… This is an important show that should be tweaked a bit and then taken on the road – we need to talk about this topic and this show does a great job of engaging in important parts of the conversation that is being ignored when it comes to gun violence.
Excellent commitment from both actors- I had just enough empathy for Jonathan to care about his character, while still hating him for his actions. If Rachel is kept, I feel like we need some more background- waiting 50 minutes for the payoff of hearing her speak isn’t quite selling me. That said, both actors did an excellent job.
