Signals
Hollywood Fringe
Through June 26
Reviewed by Dana Martin
RECOMMENDED
There’s something shady going on at The Foundation. The top-secret, seemingly organized corporate hierarchy has something sinister contained within its walls. Signals, the latest innovation from Last Call Theatre, is a delicious sci- fi, choose-your-own-adventure for theater nerds.
Audience members are the “new recruits,” carefully selected to assist The Foundation in their mission to secure, contain and protect by learning the ropes and maintaining order. Unsurprisingly, things go awry fairly quickly. Several ethical and moral dilemmas are presented to the recruits, who are left to act on their own moral compasses.
The plot is complicated, perhaps too complicated. It’s easy to get lost in the details, but it’s also part of the game. I got sucked right in, campaigning for characters that captured my sympathy and carrying out covert missions assigned to me. I found myself fretting over (and then encouraging) containment breaches. At one point I was in an alliance with others, but it turned out I work better alone. I still don’t know what my specific mission was exactly, but I was graciously guided toward purpose.
The actors were delightfully committed to the elaborate plot. They played within the world eagerly and displayed impressive commitment to imagination and improvisation. Standout performances include Michael Warker’s loveable Mr. Fish — a half-fish toy, half-human person and wholly sympathetic creature. Stalwart Westley the Janitor (Michaela Skaribas), everyone’s eager-to-please BFF, is delightfully embodied by P the actor. Blaine Cunningham (Philip Saguil), Head of Security, is calm and cool under pressure and runs a tight ship, spending much of his time fielding safety concerns and assigning tasks to the new recruits. Joe the Researcher (Michael DiNardo) is stressed out and overworked, and expresses legitimate concerns about potential ethics violations among the captive creatures, labeled SCP’s. Chris the Intern, played by Haven Schneider, is the subordinate with higher aspirations,(like a corner office at The Foundation). Slick Site Head (Mikey Talka), keeps untoward behavior under wraps. He’s cool, calm, collected and not who he appears to be.
Director Alexander Whitover engages the imagination and creates a fully realized alternate reality. Keo Lacebal’s set creates several playing spaces and distinct worlds: a control center that boasts a research lab, the site head’s swanky office, administrative offices and security headquarters. A second playing space depicts the underbelly of the organization where the “monsters” are contained. Kale Hinthorn’s costumes bring the characters completely to life.
Signals is a strange blend of corporate stringency and creepy chaos and everything an immersive theatre experience should be. It’s a unique, personalized adventure within a wild alternate reality, this time with scientists, monsters and the looming threat of an outbreak. It’s messy, complicated and very imaginative.
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7406. Running Time: 2 hours.
