Review: HINDSIGHT IS at Roundhouse Theatre

When describing 2020 to someone I'm sure we've all used the words "hindsight's 2020" or "hindsight is" or something along those lines. What would we tell our pre-pandemic self? "Hug your friends more!", "Download zoom and make sure you get premium!", "Buy more hand sanitizer!"

Hindsight is explores exactly that, what we would have done differently, what we would have told our 2019 selves, and what we should celebrate about how we've pushed through the dumpster fire that was 2020. Hindsight is is a wonderful, authentic production exploring human connection and what it means to collectively experience a global pandemic. Through vignettes and comedic sketches it takes the audience through the tumultuous and downright terrifying year that was 2020. It features a cast of local high school students who are members of Roundhouse Theatre's pre-professional program and was mentored by Roundhouse's own Brandon McCoy and Danisha Crosby.

Hindsight is begins with a photographic montage of the long road that was 2020. Beginning with Covid, civil unrest and the protesting of police brutality, the day to day monotony of isolation, and finding the joy and celebrating the little things that still made life special despite living in a time where nothing felt worth celebrating. The audience is then taken through each month of 2020 beginning in February ( I like to refer to it as the last time we all knew peace) and through the rest of the year through the eyes of young theatre artists. We then cut away to a hilarious personification of various social media platforms and how they would "react" to Covid. Through witty, sharp dialogue and a lively, synchronised cast the vignettes and snapshots of life from the perspective of young theatre artists casts light on how young people have been dealt a particularly hard blow and what each of them have learned in hindsight.

One of the most refreshing aspects of this production, and my personal favorite part, is its vulnerability and realness displayed through the writing. It is fast paced and incredibly funny, blink and you miss the hilarious antics of high school students in a zoom class or the quick jibes calling out toxic social media. Through the mentorship of Brandon McCoy and Danisha Crosby the students were able to create a refreshingly raw and hilarious account of what Zoom school is really like, how incredibly powerful and dangerous social media can be, and what it means to be a theatre artist during a global pandemic. If you're looking for a hilarious, genuine show that will make you feel less depressed about 2020 look no further than Hindsight is.

Hindsight is runs from April 16-May 31 and tickets can be reserved by clicking here.

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