Review by anonymous
June 04, 2023 certified reviewerWhat I liked
The idea, the setup, and the overall atmosphere. The performances by Constantine Malahias, Jesse Ridenour, and Erin Park were the most notable.
What I didn't like
See my overall impression.
My overall impression
A fantastic and intriguing idea, but the execution left a bit to be desired. The best part of the entire show happened in the last 20-30 minutes after “Helen” was excused from the experiment. While tension was initially established, it was quickly depleted by the performances of most of the cast and some odd choices in acting, staging, and tech.
In terms of casting, I never once believed that Anton Nassif’s “Jacob” would fight his way out of a cell. There was no build-up or depth to his language. I never felt life and death-urgency from him in the entire show except for the moments leading up to him getting shot. And even then… his death seemed awkward in how it was staged.
In a similar vein, Nicole Provonsil as “Helen” delivered what I can only describe as a surface-level performance. While her character was supposed to be very surface-level and shallow, her performance didn’t read as connected or believable.
Tony Kim as “John” had a commanding presence and was well cast, but the cadence of his speech was odd. His delivery was done in a way that read as if he was searching for his lines, rather than taking dramatic pauses. Also, while an intimidating presence as the guard… the comedic-leaning choices for the guard just didn’t read. Since the piece was branded as a sci-fi, psychological thriller, I was confused by why these choices were made. Ultimately, those “funny bits” just felt forced and out of place. For a piece like this that has hints of the SAW franchise… I’m not sure it was the best choice.
The saving graces of this show are Constantine Malahias, Jesse Ridenour, and Erin Park. These actors were the most grounded in the story. I was with Constantine every step of the way as he delivered an excellent performance as “Aaron”. While Erin Park seemed to push and force a lot of her performance throughout, when it got down to just her and Constantine, she soared! Her quiet and emotional monologue kept me on the edge of my seat and the moments leading to her death were beautiful and heartbreaking.
Jesse Ridenour as the “Overseer” was a powerhouse throughout even when she was only heard and not seen. These three performers should be very proud. =)
