The Final Girl

Reviewed by Vanessa Cate
The School of Night
Through November 4

Christopher Johnson has written a cinematic ode to classic horror flick fare. The play lets you know immediately that it has taken into loving consideration all the classic horror tropes. This is not a spoof, however, but an effort to recreate the best parts of the genre within a theatrical setting.

In the six years since her family, friends and lover were all brutally murdered by a masked killer, Victoria Vahtes (Andrea Nelson) has focused her trauma by turning herself into a fighter.

It is this feminism that is most laudable about The Final Girl. While troubled, Nelson’s Victoria is nonetheless a strong, independent, and versatile woman — a survivor without being fetishized by the writer or audience. In fact, the character’s erotic self is handled with an impressive amount of care, even if it is showcased semi-explicitly.

Victoria starts out a woman punished by the rules of horror cinema: As a girl hooking up with a boyfriend, she invites the impending death of her loved ones. Over the next six years, she responds by shutting herself off romantically and sexually from those around her, and develops a distorted but understandable conviction that she is able to live out her life alone. But by the end of the play, Victoria is able to reclaim her sexuality with a supportive and compatible lover, and own who she is and what she wants. Supporting female characters are also surprisingly competent and complex.

Johnson, who also directs, has created a very long and cinematic piece. Much to the play’s betterment, the cast is comprised of solid performers, not the least of whom is Nelson, who does much heavy lifting, and succeeds stunningly as a heroine, an action star, and a strong and complex female character.

The most obvious triumph of the show is Jen Albert’s fight choreography. It is incredibly ambitious, and there is considerably more of it than I’ve personally seen in any other play. Kudos to Albert for recreating a first-rate display of combat mastery, and kudos to the entire ensemble, including Nelson and in particular Eric Rollins, who plays a physically imposing if soft-spoken murderer. A high level of stamina and precision was needed, and was achieved.

Another fantastic element is the original music, scored and performed live by Ryan Beveridge. Impressive on its own, it elevates the piece to another realm entirely, while paying great homage to the sound and feel of horror movies — in short, a perfect complement to Johnson’s script.

Sadly, The Final Girl’s big flaw is that it’s just too cinematic. In trying to capture what Johnson surely loves about horror films, it loses the necessary theatricality for the stage. The pacing, dialogue and direction all feel crafted for a film, and theater goers might start to get antsy part way into the overly long first half. The play in its entirety could have easily been trimmed by half, and theatrical sparks of energy could have been sorely used throughout.

Final warning for Final Girl: there are several jarring gun shots that you will wish were not there, so brace yourselves. 

McCadden Place Theatre, 1157 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood 90038; Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., plus Tuesday October 31 8 p.m.; through November 4; thefinalgirl.brownpapertickets.com; Running time: Approximately 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission.