What I liked
The core idea of this play is smart and engaging: “non-geek” Agnes, bereaved by the death of her tabletop RPG-playing sister Tilly, enters Tilly’s semi-autobiographical campaign module in order to gain insight into her life. Agnes navigates an adventure populated with analogues to real-life figures and issues from Tilly’s left-behind high school existence, exposing tough truths and prompting personal reconciliations.
The cast shows talent and utter dedication to the material. The swordplay and stage combat help flesh out the story-within-a-story. The ending had me choked up.
What I didn't like
This is an issue with the source material, not the production. The tone of the inner adventure often leans towards cultural parody. Though funny, the flip digressions seem at odds with the emotional core of the play.
Also, as any seasoned D&D player will tell you, it’s Tiamat. Not THE Tiamat. #geek
My overall impression
An impassioned and touching production of a play with an intriguing central premise.
