What I liked
There is not a simple way to tell the story School of Night presents with Boudica. I applaud the meticulous research and nuance that Johnson has put into a story that, frankly, is a difficult one to portray.
What I didn't like
Difficult to say. I would have liked more technical sound cues for certain moments. My only negative, honestly, is saved for the the load bearing pipes that obscure certain sight lines.
My overall impression
Director Chris Johnson gave a brief prologue to what we were about to see: Boudica was 90 minutes long, but it would feel like 30.
This is the Hollywood Fringe. I’ve participated in 6 of them. When that is said by a director, you prep yourself for a show 120 minutes long.
He was right.
A relatively slow 6 minute introduction suddenly escalates, as the violent culture shock and disconnect exemplified by the performances of Christopher Neimann (Paulinus) and Jen Albert (Boudica). From that scene on, we are treated to a constant conflict of mask work, koken/puppetry, vast yet condensed realistic warfare, and ultimately a powerful conclusion.
