BWW Reviews: Fusion Theatre's THE SEVEN Delivers a Satisfying Theatrical Sampler

Since it began in 2003, Fusion Theatre Company's festival of short works, THE SEVEN, has acquired a reputation as one of the most notable events of its kind in the nation, and even beyond.

Playwrights are invited to submit a mini play of no more than about 15 minutes, based on a common theme selected each year by the theatre's patrons. The works are then submitted, anonymously, to a panel of experts, who are faced with the challenging task of selecting the seven winning plays for production.

This year's event attracted 774 submissions from 42 states and eight countries. The winning entries - from California, Massachusetts, Colorado and Indiana - were transformed from words on a page to live performances, in record time, less than a month, opening at the Cell Theatre on June 6th.

Each play has its own director and, this year, a cast of just two characters. This year's theme, 'Failure to Communicate', is explored in the context of romantic and marital relationships, social encounters and cross-cultural interactions.

Against the backdrop of a simple, black curtain, the sets are necessarily minimal - a sofa, a table and two chairs and, on one occasion, no props at all - with much of the atmosphere being conveyed by clever lighting.

Much of the content is extremely funny, as the characters struggle, each in his or her own way, to understand or be understood. Everyone involved in these productions deserves special credit, especially in view of the fact that this mini fest was put together in such a breathtakingly short amount of time. The entire evening was thoroughly enjoyable and the audience clearly had a good time. THE SEVEN is bound to mature and grow even better, as it continues its run.

My personal favorite was ARE YOU David Mamet? a surreal and hilarious encounter between two strangers (the only play with an all male cast) based on real facts from the life of playwright, David Mamet.

As it turns out, all the winning plays are by established playwrights, who have already made a mark in and around their own home base. Hopefully, having their work selected for inclusion in THE SEVEN, will boost their reputation to even greater heights.

THE SEVEN is playing at the Cell Theatre through June 16th. For details and further info. visit: www.fusionabq.org

Photo from ARE YOU David Mamet? courtesy of Richard Hogle.

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