BWW Reviews: Madison Needs More BETA BLOCKERS

Every once in a while there is a performance that is completely open ended. Where every audience member walks away with a different sense of what happened, what it meant, and why it mattered. That is the case with a series of scenes entitled Beta Blockers, produced by Left of Left Center at TAPIT/New Works this past weekend and one last time on Wednesday the 18th.

Pieces that were all written, produced, and stage managed by Ned O'Reilly were meant to instill a little something into everyone - hence the chosen medium of ten minute snippets.

O'Reilly did not have his hands on every aspect of this 90 minute series, however, he handed each scene over to a different director to see what they could do with it. From hive minds, arrhythmias, hormonal power, hormonal weakness, subtle psychiatry, and courtship, the scenes ran the gambit of how human beings interact with one another. This explains how the subtext of the title fits in: "Five scenes about relationships and the chemicals that drive them."

At the heart of the show is the understanding that we've all "got weeds" as Mia, (played by a sassy Patricia Padurean) from the short 'Bechdel Test', would put it. The insecurities that everyone has are running rampant in plain sight. Despite whatever coping strategies we utilize - everyone can eventually see them, especially those closest to us. Beta Blockers examines those mechanisms and drives at the point that everyone has one or two of them. No one is alone.

Through the chortling at Tanis Steed, Vanessa Vesperman, and Francisco Torres as Harley, Karley, and Farley the "helpful helpers" from 'Hive Mind', it became clear that the performances were lighthearted. Unless, perhaps, you interpreted the three helpers as the side effects of Adderall, which, while still amusing to see the three tossing laundry at one another, made the piece a bit darker.

It was then that I realized that each piece had its own darkness and that's why the humor is important.

O'Reilly's ten minute pieces contain a great deal of truth for the people in the audience who find themselves battling with a medical condition, coping strategy, or a mixture of the two. This genuine connection can make the humorous moments slightly painful. As someone who suffers from severe sleep apnea, the short "Arrhythmia" highlighted some major anxiety triggers. At the same time, as Erin Ronayne's character Rona charmingly giggled at her own snorts, one realizes that the little quirks are not so terrible because someone somewhere understands. Perhaps that person will also find the snuffles to be endearing.

Beta Blockers had no major overarching through line or plot, though its universal truths drew plenty of laughter as well as thoughtful commentary. What it has done is created conversation which is what any worthy piece of art is meant to do.

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