Review: LEGENDS OF: THE WEREWOLF at Southwest Shakespeare Company

BWW Review: Legends of: the Werewolf

I love seeing shows at Taliesin West. The experience is intimate and because it's so far away from civilization, the sounds of the city are muted and you can really see the stars. The remote location also lends itself well to the staging of the world premiere of Legends of: the Werewolf written by Beau Heckman. The premise is a revamp of a short-lived television show from the 1970s. Professor Edward Halsingland, played by Heckman, loved the original show and wants to solve the mystery of what happened to the host and his father. This play is set up like a live broadcast that is being recorded for TV. The audience gets to participate and it is apparent that Heckman has done his research.

What I liked:

The set is incredible. There are skeletons, trunks, pelts, lanterns, and everything you would expect to see on a TV set. There is plenty of space for Heckman to move around to present the information he has collected. The set and props were designed by Heckman and you can tell how important the specific details are to him. The set is magical.

Heckman is a fantastic actor. He is on stage, alone, for the entirety of the show and he is dynamic, entertaining, and skilled. The whole show is basically a monologue, but he also performs several excerpts from plays, stories, and ancient folklore. You do not want to miss his performance.

There is a multi-media element that allowed other actors to participate and add to the story. The voice overs and commercials (a fun, contemporary addition) are performed by Bonnie Beus Romney. The camera crew is played by William Buckley and Nathan Gayan. We do not see a lot of them, but they are imperative to the plot. The video design was created by Colin Carter and all of the video elements match their purpose.

The audience sees interviews with several of the Professor's colleagues. It appears that they are calling over face-time, and the actors play their parts well. They are not on screen for long, but their appearance helps to solve the mystery...or deepen it? Dr. Zhong is played by Wei Guo, Dr. Haley is played by Racquel McKenzie, Dr. Denenbah is played by Ginger Sykes Torres, Dr. Deshik is played by Deshik Vansadia, and Dr. Yang is played by Victor Yang.

The father and son duo of which the play is focused upon, we see in found footage from the lost recordings of one of the episodes that never aired. Jim Coates plays Magnus Ulvsen, who is the father of Professor Jorgen Ulvsen, played by Keath Hall. Coates nails the urgency and immediacy required for his role. Hall is mysterious, and at times, unhinged. Coates and Hall play their roles well.

We also get to meet the crew: Gus and Lawrence. Gus is played by Gustavo A. Flores, and Lawrence is played by Emmy Antillo. We really only heard Lawrence's voice, but Antillo brought Lawrence to life even though we couldn't see him. Gus appears on stage and helps Professor Halsingland with a demonstration. Flores leans into the shtick and makes it funny, which is a nice addition to rather dark subject matter. We do not see the other members of the Studio Crew, but Kallie Hagen is busy running the Light Board and Victor Yang runs the sound board. The final member of the studio crew is Ethan Hagen. He also created the Media Op and there are some really fun things to see on the Facebook page.

The lighting design is excellent. The lighting is so important to help create and maintain the ambiance and Stacey Walston really nailed it. Peter Bish created the sound design. There is a lot of nuance to what he created that sets the mood and keeps the audience on its toes listening for things lurking in the shadows.

What I didn't like:

Some of the multi-media aspects fell flat for me. I believe they existed to add to the dread and fear that should be building, but I felt it took me out of the action.

While the multi-media aspects do not require the other actors to be present, I also feel that in a television taping, some of the Professor's friends would have made a physical appearance. I would have liked to see Professor Halsingland invite his guests to the studio so the information felt more immediate and would add to the suspense. I also wish we could have seen the crew. With the set up at Taliesin West, they have to sit in the back because that is what the space requires, but I think seeing the crew like you would at a real TV taping would have created more suspense, especially when things were going wrong.

Some of the bits went on a bit too long for my taste. I realize that in a dark show there needs to be moments of levity, but the "How to turn yourself into a werewolf" bit went a little too far. I also really wanted to be scared. I love a good haunted house, and especially during this season of the year, I was hoping the terror would be heightened and I would leave the play out of breath or feeling nervous to walk through the parking lot alone. The final bit left me wanting. They tried to ramp up the danger and fear, but, then it was over and I left feeling unfulfilled, not getting the nail-biting rush I had hoped to experience.

Final thoughts:

Do I think people should see the show? Absolutely! I had a great time and I think the premise of the play is inventive and something I have never seen before. I know when a new play is launched, things change and improve based on the feedback from the audience. I know this play has the potential to scare the crap out of people, while also being very informative and fun to watch. I also know I could never put something this awesome together and it has clearly been a passion project for Beau Heckman. I cannot wait to see more from him and see where this leads.

Directed by Mary Way, Legends of: the Werewolf, presented by the Southwest Shakespeare Company, plays through October 15, 2021 at Taliesin West. Tickets can be purchased here. The play is a great companion for the spooky season and Heckman's performance is not to be missed.

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