The Same Room

I've been telling friends that The Same Room is "No Exit but with a happy ending." This usually inspires a laugh and the question "So heaven is other people?" Well, yes. So is hell. Plus the full range of everything in between. Two young women literally end up thrown (by who? or what?) into a room. We and they pretty soon realize they are dead, outside of time and space as we understand it. Nobody knows what happens next, but they must somehow handle it. In this work, the two are anything but strangers--thus both hell and heaven. Adding to to the tension is the nice touch that the lights above the locked doors where they entered change based on what they do or (maybe) feel. Might they escape when the lights turn green instead of re... full review

The Same Room is a visceral examination of an all too common human experience: our capacity to wage war with ourselves. It’s a poetic, thrilling, and excruciatingly honest piece of theatre, and well worth the journey. ... full review

A wonderful show that illustrates struggle between the right and left brain. The two leads effortlessly traverse an an emotional mine field. It is thought provoking and at times explosive. I eagerly await a second viewing, as to pick up more from the writer. ... full review

Intense performances in a true blackbox psychological thriller. ... full review

A gripping update of No Exit that replaces the existential questioning with a strong emotional core, anchored by two fantastic performances. ... full review

Brilliant script, excellent performances, incredible scenic miracles worked in the tiny and limited Studio space. A feminist/feminine take on Sartre's No Exit. See it if you can!... full review

So, you walk out of a show that knocked you on your ass and you try to tease out exactly what it was that made this remarkable production sing. It was a hell of a conundrum for me with Kelley Pierre's "The Same Room." With rare-air acting, directing and writing, this is one of the finest productions you will see this at this festival. Scott Golden's direction is is face paced with out losing a bit of nuance. The acting is fearless and deep with Pierre and Sheeks darting in and out of control of the moment, sometimes landing on beautiful moments of rapport and empathy. I think, by a whisper thin margin, it's Pierre's writing, by turns eerie, delicate, strange, discursive, bold and lyrical, that moves the remarkable acting and direction into a... full review

It was fun to be on the ride with the characters from the very beginning -- not knowing where we are, how we got there, who Aspid and Thyma are to each other. The idea of being stuck in a room with someone that you have a complicated past with is very interesting and uncomfortable. I enjoy theatre that makes me feel uncomfortable and makes me think and this piece certainly did that!... full review

A tight, well-paced, energetic, and engaging piece of theatre that excels in its direction and top-notch performances.... full review

Kelly Pierre has written one of the most compelling shows of HFF19. Scott Golden has captured her intent and directed a show that is worthy of attention, praise and awards. Not only did Pierre write the play, but she appears with the amazing Fringe virgin Sam Sheeks in this outstanding two-hander. ... full review