Review: HELP ME Plays at Freefall Stage

When playwright James Van Eaton commented on a woman’s Facebook post, he had no idea that it would be the catalyst for his thought-provoking play, Help Me. Van Eaton thought, naturally, that if the woman told a man to stop bothering her, that the man would stop…because that’s the way it should be. Instead, he got an education on how often women experience predatory male behavior and how ineffective saying no can be. Help Me is inspired by real-life scenarios shared on Tumblr and the #MeToo movement. Director Emma Eldridge of Freefall Stage has crafted this latest production as a labor of love sparked by righteous anger at the inequalities and dangers women face every day.

Help Me is artfully told through the experience of Joe, a young male college student. Joe shows up to a nondescript location for a job testing a video game simulation. The pay is right but Stella, the young woman in charge, is secretive about the assignment. The only information she gives him is a code phrase to say if he needs help. While he initially scoffs at her warnings, Joe figures out quickly that Stella isn’t joking. As he navigates various scenarios as different female avatars, he discovers just how dangerous being a woman can be.

The cast of Help Me does a convincing job of relaying these women’s experiences. Each simulation gets more intense and, unfortunately, relatable. As Eldridge has said, she has either personally experienced or knows someone who has experienced the situations played out on stage. Me, too. A couple of scenes feature a young teenage girl, Chloe, who is experiencing unwanted contact and attention. Sadly, many women find out that they are vulnerable much younger than that. Me, too. The actors come across as passionate about the topic, but it never seems to be too much. Chad Eldridge as Joe is sincere in his concern about what his avatars are going through and is convincingly sickened as he comes to the realization that this isn’t a fictional game. Stella is played by Riley J. Burke, who brings a comforting air to the role. The women who play Joe as female avatars are fantastic and brave to take on the emotional load that comes with reliving trauma. Taryn Cagley, Ronnie Duska Fowler, Catherine Gray, and Tabitha Ward deserve a special round of applause. At my viewing, Jared Cagley, Tyler Anderson, and Edward A. Nason played Actors 1-4.  They’re suitably creepy, disgusting, and very, very real. That being said, I never felt triggered. I just felt angry that this is still the norm.

Fortunately, when men like Van Eaton pay attention, we make progress. In a previous interview, Van Eaton told me about Help Me: “It’s an empathy machine and a teaching tool. It came about as me trying to work on myself. I always thought of it as, this is one part of me trying to improve as a feminist and one part trying to ask men to do better.” He has succeeded brilliantly, for Help Me is both a lesson for men and a vessel through which women can feel seen and where change can happen. Director Emma Eldridge hopes audiences will walk away from the show with a deeper understanding of what women experience every day. Me, too.

Help Me plays at Freefall Stage through August 11th. Performances will be held at the Chautauqua Playhouse at 5325 Engle Rd. in Carmichael. For tickets and more information, visit www.freefallstage.com or call (916) 207-5606.

Photo credit: Freefall Stage

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