Writer: Taylor Carmen
Director: Kay Brattan
Roman Cowboy Productions presents a play centred around the purpose of life in the near future. In the year 2108, two stagehands must shelter in place at a New York City theatre. The play begins as soon as you enter, with the stagehands thanking the audience for visiting. Green Day plays in the background as the pair talks amongst themselves and slowly starts the clean-up process after a performance. This occurs for several minutes until the play officially begins.
This play uses dialogue to create an image of the future for the audience. Set over 100 years in the future, the situation is bleak. The threat of nuclear weapons and the end of the world loom large over the characters. When the two get stuck due to a severe threat of an imminent attack, they discuss various topics from their dreams to feelings of uselessness regarding the world’s current situation.
The dialogue, though witty and philosophical, is at times stilted, and the flow is off. This makes certain scenes appear forced or unnecessary, bringing the audience out of the play. However, the special effects and the props work well at creating a dystopian setting. The lighting heightens the tension and creates suspense, prompting the audience to wonder what will happen next.
There is also a bit of magical realism in this production that is not fully explored. At one point, the two stagehands (Taylor Carmen and Gabrielle-Norma Griffin) seem to transport themselves to another setting in the wild. It leaves the audience wondering if this is a bit of magic or the subconscious of one of the characters. Having this fleshed out will help expand the characters’ backstories a bit better.
This is a short 45-minute production that does a nice job at showcasing what a future might look like if current situations are not resolved.
Runs until 26 April 2026
