Valley Of Light

What I liked

Premise is very interesting and the character Fable serving as the narrator is promising in concept if they’re role is expanded. The role of Amber was very well developed and the acting for this role was the strongest in the show! Shadow work could be so cool if only it were more pronounced! Had to really work to see it but what I was able to parse was quite nice. Very talented singers in Tess Botts, Adriano Jade and Erlene Sam Peale. Audience seemed connected and engaged which is always nice to hear.

What I didn't like

Musical Composition is too similar, every song sounds the same and if that’s the intention then clear worlds, beats, character patterns must be developed so the audience doesn’t get bored and the show doesn’t sound redundant. The choreography doesn’t seem connected to the story, if there is a way to have the artists in the ensemble more engaged and aware of they’re surroundings. As the echoes seem to be one with the ruins, they should see what’s around them, know what’s happening, have actual personalities, not just move as contemporary dancers/stage hands. Many of the acting choices are questionable. From yelling to convey emotion, upstaging themselves by turning their backs to the audience, falling into furniture and off of blocks, singing into the floor for no clear reason, it could be hard to watch at times. However, when connecting and actually listening to their scene partners and allowing that to be what moves them to speak/sing, it’s really wonderful! Do not rub or hold the blade of the dagger Mars, it’s sharp. Directionally there’s a lot of work to do with helping artists make more informed choices and staging more dynamically. The death of the Beast should also be restaged and immediately as possible. Stage combat at this point and time seems unsafe and unbelievable. The plot isn’t all the way there and could be more fleshed out, made clearer and more concise.

My overall impression

Dramaturgically the show is severely underdeveloped and the plot isn’t as clear as it needs to be for an audience to follow along. That much was made apparent as folks left trying to sort out what actually had happened. There seems to be some draws from the style of Hadestown musically but every song’s composition falling in line with the one that came before makes characters seems more redundant and stagnant than anything else. Additionally, the characters are not fleshed out enough for the story nor are they in a place where audience’s can connect with them enough to care about what happens to them in the end. Although, I will note, it seems that the character Amber has the clearest arc, exposition and journey. The Echoes at this current iteration could just be stage hands. There’s not enough use of them in telling the story for their constant presence to make much sense onstage. Further to that point, they should be intuitively staging the boxes in a way that doesn’t create such intense traffic jams and trip ups with the ensemble. The Echoes are too on top of each other and preoccupied with getting to their next station rather than being conscious of the show as a whole. Let’s talk about the fights. When using stage combat, utilizing a professional and experienced fight director is a must. The fighting in this show was not only poorly choreographed but downright dangerous.
Somehow the show has not enough and way too much exposition at once and the closing number leaves much to be desired with heads cocked to the side in confusion. With regard to the direction the show falls flat in a literal sense. From the artists singing into the floor, the lack of collaboration and connection amongst the Echoes, staging in straight lines, actor’s erratic movements to close distance which deflates any potential tension & yelling when they’re conveying any heightened emotion to the shadow work being downright invisible because of lighting. There is great potential here and with a lot more workshopping, there’s a very interesting premise and some promising talent in the piece! I would absolutely see this again further down the line. Naomi’s skill and intentions are clear and with time I think this could be at a level fit for professional debut! The actor who played Fable has a beautiful voice fit singer-songwriter style productions & if they’re willing to get more training, there’s a bright future ahead for them should musical theatre be of real interest. The actor that portrayed Amber had a very grounded presence and emotional depth. If they allow that confidence to translate into their songs as well, they’d be the clear standout in the show. Finally, a note the festival overall, your team members should not get on stage in the middle of bows to yell at everyone to get out of the theatre. Incredibly disorienting and unprofessional. Overall, really enjoyable time and we look forward to seeing where this piece goes next!