Review: ‘The Living Room Plays’ from the Eden Theater Company

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  • Dave Rabjohn, Associate Toronto Critic

In this time of COVID 19, isolation takes on a new and difficult meaning.  Eden Theater Company has presented a series of playlets that navigates different aspects of isolation – both the physical and the psychological.  ‘The Living Room Plays,’ presented through Zoom, also delves into the large questions of social justice and how this links both to the past and to what is termed “the new normal.” 

As we self isolate, many theatre companies are experimenting with creative programming, mostly online, to connect with audiences.  This brings new and rare challenges, especially when dealing with a two-dimensional world.  This set of short plays simply could not manage those challenges.

To be fair, live theatre and a flat-screen rarely can coexist.  These productions were fraught with technical problems from garbled sound to distracting lighting.  In terms of content, even though the productions were short, they lacked focus.  In ‘The Pedicure,’ written and performed by Annie Larussa and Mark Moses, a couple tries to push the boundaries of their isolated world and their flagging relationship. 

Apparently indulging in a pseudo-roleplaying sexual fantasy, the couple lurches from fun and games to the cold reality of illness.  The dialogue was halting and it lacked committed acting.  The questions raised about marital integrity were unfocused – perhaps a longer play could have sounded out these themes with more depth.

‘The Weight of the Dark,’ written and performed by Amanda Enzo, introduces an art scholar who takes us through an art history class that also weaves through the history of racial intolerance.  Ms. Enzo’s performance is passionate and expressive.  Again, technology is a roadblock to her message.  It was difficult to analyze the art in question as the camera jumps between her analysis and the painting itself.  It may have more effective if, in zoom style, we saw the painting in one half of the screen and her analysis in the other.  The piece became more of a lecture with little theatricality.

The third piece ‘snapped shot’ was written by Mario Gonzales, performed by Frank Humphrey and directed by Ran Xia.  Mr. Humphrey’s performance as a maniacal historian, battling his own inner demons was the most energetic of all the actors.  But again, the civil war references were unfocused and the connections between history and the character’s own conflicts were blurred.

Eden Theater Company should be commended for experimenting with large themes while dealing with an unreliable theatrical environment.  Sometimes the medium is just not the right construct for the message.

‘The Living Room Plays’ presented by Eden Theater Company

Creative team:  Mario Gonzales, Ran Xia, Frank Humphrey, Amanda Enzo, Diane Davis, Annie Larussa, Mark Moses.

Presented on Zoom – July 16, 2020.