One Year Later! 

Reviewed by Lara J. Altunian 
Open Fist Theatre Company in Residency at Atwater Village Theatre 
Extended through March 10 

RECOMMENDED 

Sixteen vignettes come together to create Open Fist Theatre Company’s One Year Later!, a self-described “political pop-up” with enough power to keep you plugged in for the full ride. 

A wide array of performers and directors navigate the turmoil the U.S. has been undergoing as a result of the 2016 election. Diversity of voice and story, and a compelling exploration of human emotion and response ensure that each pocket-sized play packs a punch while remaining grounded in its message.

Each individual segment recreates a short moment in the lives of unrelated people who are processing the change they and their communities have experienced throughout the last year. One Year Later! begins with “Darlene’s Resistance Monologue” (by Jonathan Joy, directed by Martha Demson) in which Elizabeth Lande shares the internal thoughts of a Southern woman from a conservative town who voted for Hillary Clinton. She is disappointed at her family and friends’ disapproval, but her assurance that even those living in rural areas hope for change after the disasters following’s Trump’s election sets the mood for the rest of the production.

The mood of the piece ranges from tragicomic to completely solemn, but keeps an ongoing focus on the negative side effects brought on by the machinations we’ve been seeing on Capitol Hill. Scenes with positive endings allow viewers to observe the characters’ capacity for empathy, while those that conclude sadly or with unresolved issues evoke audiences’ sympathy.

Narratives include pulling down Civil War memorabilia in the South (“Razing the Statue” by Marilynn Barner Anselmi, directed by Amanda Weier), the #MeToo movement (“Elevator Repair” by Steve Apostolina, directed by Judith Scarpone), the slow dissolution of DACA (“Dreaming” by Diana Burbano and directed, Laura James), and airport “security” (“Here to Serve You” by Barbara Lindsay, directed by George Caleodis), among others.

Stories about women who have survived sexual assault get a special mention and extra attention in “1 in 5” (by Lane Allison and Company, directed by Lane Allison). This piece is divided into three parts and presented at various junctures throughout the evening. A gun can be heard clicking in response to climactic moments within each woman’s account; the sound of a shot fired reverberates in the theater as the lights go out at the end of these scenes. The seriousness of the women’s plights and their realistic accounts make this work perhaps the most significant of the evening.

Although most of the pieces have standard plots, there are a few that include dance (“Empire Dreams” by Caroline Klidonas, directed by Barbara Schofield and choreographed by Tony Testa), or silent prop work (“Boxes” by Jen Huszcza, directed by Jan Munroe). The variety added by the performance art keeps the theme fresh throughout the evening.

One of the most pleasant components to the play is the lounge bar setting, with tables, comfy chairs and couches where people can enjoy drinks and snacks available at a bar located toward the back of the room. The layout encourages discussion while the chandeliers, poised above, furnish intimate lighting that keeps the experience from turning tense, even during heartbreaking scenarios.

Open Fist Theatre Company’s approach to opening up a polarized America to the reality of our current governmental climate gets right what a lot of other productions have gotten wrong: they keep the topics from feeling forced and the sentimental moments from feeling cheap. The hope is palpable and the communal intolerance relatable.

Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Atwater Village; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; Extended through Mar. 10. (323) 882-6912 or https://openfist.secure.force.com/ticket/. Running time: two hours and 30 minutes with one 10-minute intermission.