BWW Reviews: MYSTERY OF THE SILVER CHALICE at 710 MAIN THEATRE

INTERACTIVE DATING TAKES THE STAGE
by Michael Rabice

As with any good laboratory, hypothesis and conjecture are needed to lead to breakthroughs and new discoveries. Buffalo Laboratory Theatre's production of MYSTERY OF THE SILVER CHALICE currently playing at 710 Main Theatre often succeeds in finding humor in new found audience driven technology, while keeping the actors on their toes.

Directed and written by Taylor Doherty, this interactive theatre experience allows the audience to become an active participant in the evening's proceedings. Upon entrance to the theatre, the audience is given a small wireless device about the size of a cell phone, which will be used to vote for certain key plot choices throughout the evening. The show was tested in San Diego and Cleveland over the summer, and this production serves as it's first full scale mounting.

Billed as a 'Build Your Own Adventure', our guide is a Genie, played by Ray Boucher, who explains that much like Aladdin's lamp, a silver chalice is his home vessel. When someone drinks from it, they are given choices, but these choices are decided upon by the audience. Our Genie relates that many years ago our leading character's grandfather bought the magical silver chalice at an estate sale and our Genie then helped him find his wife. Now the grandson, Rob, holds the chalice and the Genie will help him find romance on his next date.

Boucher deftly led the audience on the journey, even breaking a tie during one of the audience choices. One hoped for a bit of trickery written into his role and more frivolity in his costuming, conjuring up more of a magical master of ceremonies. But given the potential for multiple story lines, he was entirely at ease in the taxing role.

John Kaczorowski plays Rob, the awkward and uncomfortable single guy who always falls in love too quickly. Upon his tearful introduction to the audience, we learn that he has just been jilted again and is possibly addicted to internet porn. Kaczorowski is ideally cast as the geeky but charming bachelor. We are asked to choose what Rob was to wear, what to say, where to go... well you get the idea. The humor peaks when the audience gets involved. Often the choices made were for pure farce, to see our leading man struggle. We chose an outfit of black leather chaps and midriff tank top for Rob, over a suit or hipster look. Kaczorowski's pleading with the audience over which choices NOT to make were perfectly timed and the audience loved him for it. He became the nerdy guy that you really rooted for. His dance solo in the nightclub was perfection, with the small opening night's audience cheering for him.

We must choose one of three possible women for the date. This choice is possibly the most difficult, as Doherty has not made all 3 equally interesting. Meet Gabrielle (Marie Costa), the self proclaimed lingerie model, Carol ( Kim Cote), the girl next door school teacher, and Xandra (Alley Griffin), the angry feminist . In order for this play to progress, the audience must be invested in learning more about each of the three ladies stories. But no one at all seemed interested in spending 2 more hours with Xandra - who instead of being artsy and quirky, came across as an abrasive, unlikeable character from the outset. Griffin did her best with the caustic words given to her, but even if Rob were submissive and the voting audience was sado-masochistic, Xandra never seemed in the running. Some heavy handed direction in her scene and this intrinsic script flaw made the potential story lines limited and less interesting.

Costa imbued the ditzy model with the requisite amount of campy sex appeal, and her story line might have been an interesting journey. But on opening night, the audience chose Carol as Rob's date. Cote was entirely convincing as the wide eyed Lutheran girl from Newfane who was thrilled to make the move to the big city of Buffalo's Elmwood Village. She was the type of girl who sang 'Goodnight My Someone' from THE MUSIC MAN on a street corner with the has-been guitarist of the Goo Goo Dolls, who is busking for loose change.

This two act play seemed to be better suited to a one act format, as the momentum for the date was broken with an unneeded intermission. Some judicious editing could have streamlined the evening, without ruining the concept. Meanwhile, the audience ate up the many Buffalo references, including the self- jab at the presenting theatre company's own location 'all the way in Hamburg.' Cote stressed how it was '10 miles away' and they needed to take dog sleds and hire a sherpa to guide them from Buffalo to Hamburg. One of the more successful audience choices was to take Carol to the Gaelic Historic Theatre (a nod to Buffalo's own Irish Classical Theatre) vs. a few other notable local theatre companies. A voice over cameo by Vincent O'Neill had the theatre savvy audience snickering.

The minimal setting was enhanced by projections and effective lighting (by Katie Gililand). The electronic voting devices worked easily and on stage screens projected the results in bar graphs for the audience to see. The ad-libbing while waiting for tallies was well handled by Boucher and Kaczorowski. This specific ending seemed a bit anti-climactic and I had hoped that we would be given a way to vote for the conclusion, ala THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. Of course, we need to keep in mind that there are other potential endings and the audience is handed a half price ticket coupon to return to see the show again, if they are curious how it may change nightly.

Experimental theatre is always welcome as long as it is inventive and explores uncharted territory-- and this production served as a nod to the original Studio Arena, which was known for it's daring new productions in the 60's and 70's. While MYSTERY OF THE SILVER CHALICE may not be earth shattering theatre, it does prove to be an entertaining evening and venture into a new way to present theatre in the 21st century. And with the diversion of holding a remote throughout the evening, it was encouraging to see that no one was tempted to touch their cell phones.

MYSTERY OF THE SILVER CHALICE runs through Feb 22 at 710 Main Theatre. Performances are Thursday through Sunday and tickets can be purchased at the SHEA'S Ticket office, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/1299/2055954

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