Review: “The Christensen Brothers” from Open Door Playhouse
“The Christensen Brothers”, written by Michael J Moore, is the newest short audio play with Open Door Playhouse and follows two brothers, Marshal (Matthew Scot Montgomery) and Alan (Blake Krist) Christensen as the pair drive home. Though, their drive is interrupted by a mysterious stranger (Daamen Krall) stopped on the side of the road. What results is a heartfelt, tension filled ride that will leave you going back to listen to it again.
“The Christensen Brothers” is exactly the length it needs to be. The story is crisp and efficient in its use of the ten-minute run time. No conversation or moment goes on too long and yet you never feel as if anything stops too short.
The conversation between the two brothers is natural and casual but full of tension and subtext. I always love a good “trapped in a car” conversation and Moore delivers beautifully on that. The voice acting by Montgomery and Krist in these scenes is also very well done. You feel the history between them.
Of course, the stand out moment of the play is the second half when the unexpected third character played by Daamen Krall arrives. Up until this moment, I’m thinking the whole play is going to be the two brothers having a conversation on their drive home but this third character flips the play completely in a way that is too good to give away. All three actors do a great job getting the fear and sorrow across as more and more begins to be unraveled. Despite being limited to only their voices, the three manage to really paint a frightening scene.
“The Christensen Brothers” is exactly what a short audio play needs to be. With a talented cast and great writing by Moore, this is definitely worth popping on some headphones and going on the journey with them. Just don’t do it while you drive…or you might have to pull over yourself.
“The Christensen Brothers” was produced with Open Door Playhouse and can be listened to here:
It was written and directed by Michael J. Moore.
It stars Matthew Scott Montgomery, Blake Krist, and Daamen Krall.
With sound editing by Hall Cantrell