What I liked
I truly admired what I believe to be a call back to my days of Six Viewpoints work (originally conceived by the genius, Mary Overlie). The exploration of space, shape, time, story, emotion and movement was riveting! Granted, I was far more invested/captivated by the “action” on stage right with the precise repetition of motion that continued to grow in intensity, time after time! Brava! Additionally, I loved the music – it just enhanced everything beautifully! And hooray for flying goldfish!
What I didn't like
From a purely technical point – you could not read the projections on the black curtain, so I missed pretty much all of that. Additionally, while I understand the purposeful choice of lighting being dark to showcase the forceful captivity, audience still has to be able to clearly see everything at all times. And for my taste, the monologues struck me as a little too long-winded and cerebral.
My overall impression
Hypnotic. Dark. Mesmerizing. Resonant. Those are the first four words that come to mind when I think of this show a few days after seeing it. Many parts were haunting and deliciously performed by this talented ensemble of CalArts students. No doubt, experimental theatre is alive and kicking in this very unique and original drama by Skylar Shen and her team. Kudos on some truly striking work!
