What I liked
Oh where do I start?
- For starters I really loved how the subject matter was explored. It was definitely a scathing critique of the hypocrisy that lives within the Christian church but it never felt malicious. If anything it came across as somewhat mournful, like you could tell that Josiah/Joshua was robbed of a loving community that he deserved early in live due to the flawed nature of the church.
- Speaking of Josiah, I was floored by his performance. It was such a full-bodied and vulnerable performance that really ran me through a full gamut of emotions in its’ 75 minute run-time. Also his crowd work was top notch and his ability to switch characters on a dime was a sight to behold.
- I really loved how the story bounced back and forth between time periods while never sacrificing momentum or narrative cohesion. Using Saint Bartholomew as the guide through the Dark Ages portion of the story was a stroke of genius.
- The sound & lighting were icing on-top of the performance cake. The needle drops, lighting changes, voice overs and other sound-bites were all perfectly placed; never once getting in the way of the performance itself. Whenever it did feel like sensory overload, you could tell that that was the point.
- As a big fan of Mr. Robot, the reveal to close the show hit me in a very specific place in my heart and tickled a specific part of my brain.
What I didn't like
I honestly can’t really think of anything that I can pinpoint that needed approving. As previously stated, even the sound & lighting were virtually flawless.
My overall impression
My overall impression of the show is that it’s a truly special piece of art that doubles as a daring exploration of sexuality & identity under the thumb of institutionalized religion and a stellar showcase of Josiah Blount’s abilities as a performer. It’s as hilarious as it is devastating, as clever as it is insane and extremely impactful as a whole.
