On Friday, we headed out to The Overtime Theater for another live theatre date night, and if I’m being honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. The director’s note for Threes by Rita Anderson stated that the play was “the epitome of absurdist theatre.” I know as a theatre artist, I’m supposed to love absurdist theatre, but I usually don’t. So…I thought, here we go, and got ready to endure the evening.
How surprising, then, to absolutely enjoy every minute of this play! We had such a great time and were so impressed with the production! It’s always remarkable when performers can stay focused and portray real emotion in such an intimate space, and these actors did just that. And what a clever, thought-provoking script! We loved the nods to all things only actors know, such as the warm ups and superstitions surrounding “The Scottish Play.” So accurate and funny!
I couldn’t take my eyes off of Emily Cross, as Average. Her believable portrayal of this role was mesmerizing. And I cannot say enough about Devilyn Monroe, who played Elitist. Her audience interaction, over-the-top comedy, and honest moments took us on a wonderful journey. We’ve truly never seen anything like it.
Sam Racer, as Rok Hahard, gave a committed performace to a kind of arrogant, celebrity character. The three of them created beautiful and delightful moments throughout the performance. The ensemble work in the show was masterful with all of the actors, aided by Jeffery Hensel’s and Georgie Lee’s inventive staging and clever use of movement and pacing.
The show challenged its audience to think about enjoying life, and about embracing those people and those moments that can be so often taken for granted. The style was comedic and even ridiculous, but the message was poignant and powerful. The evening flew by as we were simply entranced by the intriguing story and the skillful performances. Throughout the show, we enjoyed hearing so much laughter in the audience and seeing so many rapt faces, just glued to the action, waiting to see what hilarious or evocative thing they would do next.
San Antonio, you haven’t seen anything like this, so I encourage you not to miss it. It’ll rain a little (literally onstage) and you might get a drop on your shoe if you sit in the front row. Totally worth it! Get out next weekend and see the final show in The Overtime’s current location, Threes!
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