Review: OTHER WORLD at Delaware Theatre Company

WOW! What a difference!

If you are a hardcore theater geek fully intrigued by the process, and have never had the opportunity to follow a new theatrical work from preview shows to a final performance, I highly recommend you find a show that gives you the chance. With OTHER WORLD, it was totally worth it. Hearing and/or reading about the process is fun, but experiencing it adds another level of appreciation. The refinement of characters, changes in scenes and lines, the filling out of music, and overall comfortability and ease in character portrayals affirms everyone's commitment to make an already wonderful show into a spectacular one. The world premiere run of OTHER WORLD at Delaware Theatre Company came to a close on March 20, 2022. I can only recommend you follow OTHER WORLD on social media to keep up with whatever happens next. My hope is that it makes its way to off-Broadway. Below is my review and final thoughts on the work.

The story begins in real life (IRL) with the introduction of the main character, Sri, and a collective of his online gaming friends, including Myra, Jami and Tris. The opening number, "Here We Go," nicely explains the players' relationship to the game, each other, and how gamers gather online from all over the world (at all hours of the day and night) to play a video game. Players create/join a team and complete missions to collect rewards (in OTHER WORLD, it's icons). When the team learns the game is shutting down, ceasing operation in 48 hours, they make a plan of action ("Rampage"). The opening songs and some other songs to come spotlight the reality that many gamers find - community and sometimes a sense of family - with their online cohorts.The game is their connection to each other. Shutting it down voids not only their successes and failures as a team, but their connection to each other. For those unfamiliar with the online gaming community, this message is very important in understanding Sri and his journey. I was happy to clearly hear the lyrics this time around, as the sound at the preview show I attended was not very good. Although, I think it's still a lot for some audience members to process if they have never played a video game or know anything regarding the gaming community. That doesn't mean one can't fully enjoy the show. It just means they'll have to pay a bit more attention to the goings-on and tune into the dialog which is very good in providing information about the game.

After the opening numbers, we are given a bit more background on Sri and his mother ("Best Team Ever"). Realizing his unique connection to the game may save it from deletion, he musters the courage to leave his apartment for the first time in a very long time. He travels to the home of one of the game's co-creators, and reconnects with a childhood friend, Lorraine. While searching the garage used by Lorraine's father for game development ("Boys and Their Toys"), Sri stumbles upon a prototype for new technology, and before you can hit CTRL+ALT+DEL, they both are transported inside the game OTHER WORLD. Sri, being totally familiar with the game, has to teach the completely clueless, Lorraine. (This is where dialog assists audience members who find themselves more of a Lorraine than a Sri.) The goal for the duo is to find a way out of the game and back to IRL Will it be easy? Of course not. The game not only has challenging missions to complete in order to gather icons, it just so happens that the villain, Antagon, is alive and well, and ready to kill just about everyone and everything in order to achieve his goal, "Ultimate Power."

Sri and Lorraine begin "playing" the game ("A Little Busy Here"), but soon learn they'll need more than icons to create a portal to IRL They are told by Temula, the icon presenter, that she possesses half of an orb, and only when the orb's two halves are together, will a portal open to transport them back. Of course, that's the case, it's a game. Can you figure out who has the other half? Of course, the villain, Antagon. The trio set out to obtain the other half orb ("My Journey Begins") to conclude Act One.

I'm not giving a play-by-play of Act Two because that's where most of the spectacle and hero action happens. I also think you can probably figure out some of it from knowing that the story happens within a video game. I will tell you that the best songs happen in Act Two. "That's Why We Play" is a poignant tribute to why gamers game. "Dance Inside the Lightning" makes you bop in your seat and want to test your dance skills. "Reaching for the Sky" is nothing less than sheer beauty in sentiment and lyric. "No End to Love" and "Our World" wraps the listener in a warm blanket of family, love, friendship and hope.

OTHER WORLD's co-protagonists, Sri (Jamen Nanthakumar) and Lorraine (Bonnie Milligan) are well cast. Mr. Nanthakumar comes into the role with the advantage of being a gamer himself in IRL. Ms. Milligan commands the stage in true award-winning Broadway performer style. The chemistry between the two is genuine.

Mr. Nanthakumar dispenses the correct dosage of hermit-esque gamer turned hero within a natural and believable delivery that is never sappy. His pleasantly clear vocals make it easy for listeners to understand everything that is going on with the game and himself. He capably meets the challenge of being on stage for most of the show.

Ms. Milligan's meteoric rise on Broadway came about with her portrayal of Princess Pamela in Head Over Heels. Her critically acclaimed Broadway debut during the 2018-2019 theatrical season earned her the 2019 Theater World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance, as well as nominations for Outer Critics Circle Award (Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical) and Drama League Award (Distinguished Performance). Here, her portrayal of Lorraine was simply delightful. Her sassy, hilarious comedy kept the "end-of-the-world" peril of OTHER WORLD (and herself) in check. I believe some of her lines from the preview I saw were changed/removed. This time around, Lorraine wasn't as snarky. She became the team player needed to win the game while also finding a deeper relationship with herself and her father. Labeled by some as the "Beltress," her vocals never disappoint. Ms. Milligan can sing a rocking number at full tilt then deftly pivot to a heartfelt ballad without breaking a sweat. Her energy, whether during a song, a scene or executing some really cool dance moves, is unbounding.

The lead character inside the game OTHER WORLD, Temula, is played with physical prowess and outstanding vocals by Charnette Batey. Ms. Batey brings the perception of "humanness" to Temula with ease and grace. Once Temula learns about choosing for herself, she becomes a force to reckon with especially when choosing to defend her new friends. The combat scene where Temula fends off Korberac guards was much cleaner with more precision and speed than on my first viewing.

Another character inside OTHER WORLD worth mentioning is 1011. Seth Rettberg was originally cast as 1011, and is who I saw perform for the preview show. But, as theater fates would have it, Mr. Rettberg did not perform for my last trip to OTHER WORLD. The role of 1011 was capably performed by Ensemble Swing member, Joseph Torello. (SHOUT OUT to Understudies and Swings!!!) I enjoyed both actors in the role; each instilling their own version of Henchman Du Jour for the villain, Antagon. As for Antagon played by Ryan Andes, I am still holding out hope that the role will be tweaked so as to swap the awkward recitative-like lines for a full-fledged, banging villain song á la Ursula from The Little Mermaid or The Witch from Into the Woods. Mr. Andes' physicality in working the head of the dragon was outstanding.

A double turntable stage, a full complement of rock concert worthy moving lights, a full stage LED projection wall, art direction by Academy Award-winning W?"tā Workshop (Avatar), puppets by Achesonwalsh Studios (War Horse), award-winning creative team members - OTHER WORLD has it all. I was pleased to see that the lighting design was stepped up from the preview show. Flashing, pulsing, color changing, moving, etc. - all at the right times and in the right way to enhance the on-stage action. The lighting design heightens the immense wonderment of the stunning, oversized magical creature puppets. Kudos to not only the puppet designers and fabricators, but also the ensemble members tasked to bring them to full and effervescent life. The projections - whether the portal, jump traveling between realms, or the beautifully majestic tree from Lorraine's childhood - are superbly vivid and realistic. Costumes can make or break any show, and those built for OTHER WORLD not only hit the mark, but blows any competition out of the realm. A dazzling array of colors dispersed within neons, glow-in-the-dark and blacklight reflectives catch and entertain the eye. Metallic and printed fabrics are never too flashy or busy to distract. Each group within a realm has a distinct look and feel. But, the avatars are a BIG winner, in my book. If you've ever created an avatar for a game or Facebook,and you're like me, you may ponder what it would look like in person. Well, ponder no further because some of the OTHER WORLD player avatars are right there in front of you, alive and in-person. I wish all of the avatars could have more stage time. I can only imagine the time and skill invested in the avatar costumes. To only briefly showcase them is disappointing to me.

OTHER WORLD is a true ensemble show. Apart from Sri, Lorraine, Myra, Tris, Jamie, and Antagon, the other performers get a decent amount of stage time, mostly because the ensemble of twenty or so have to play upwards of fifty characters - humans, avatars, game characters, etc. - throughout the 2 hour 20 minute run time. Think back to the last time you had to rush to get dressed and out the door for work or an occasion. Now, cut that time down to about three or four minutes to get out of one costume and into another with a make-up change. How about putting on your stilts or getting your illuminating light pack wired or getting hoisted into a larger-than-life multi-armed goddess costume. You may think it's not a big deal to make the change from one costume to another. However, some actors aren't in a one and done situation; they go in and out of repeating costumes.Start as a human Gamer, change to game character, change to another game character, maybe change into an avatar or a puppeteer, then back to game character, and back to human Gamer. Kudos not only the performers but also to the costume creators, stitchers, and dressers, as well as the make-up and wig personnel. It truly takes a well-oiled machine to complete such monumental tasks.

Here's hoping another theater company will be as brave as Bud Martin and Delaware Theatre Company in bringing OTHER WORLD to the stage.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!

OTHER WORLD
Book by Hunter Bell
Music & Lyrics by Jeff Bowen and Ann McNamee
Stage Director - Adrienne Campbell-Holt
Music Director - Amanda Morton
Orchestration - Christopher Jahnke
Choreographer - Karla Puno Garcia
Lighting Designer - Grant Yeager
Sound Designer - Hidenori Nakajo
Scenic Designer - Mary Hamrick
Video Designer - Lucy Mackinnon
Costumes - Tilley Grimes
Wigs, Hair & Make-Up - Cassie J. Williams

Delaware Theatre Company
200 Water Street
Wilmington DE 19801
302.594.1100
DelawareTheatre.org