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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Octet
Set designer Debra Booth has configured the flexible Shargai space into a church basement where the group meets; the audience surrounds them from several tiers of seats. As patrons enter, they can stop at a table on the set to pick up the same cookies and coffee or tea as the actors. More directly, just as the eight group members begin the session by locking their cellphones in a box, Studio staff members require audience members to place their own phones in locking packages until after the show ends. Malloy, whose best-known work is Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, takes an opposite tack here. That work, adapted from a section of Tolstoy's "War and Peace," ranges widely among locations with actors who each play numerous roles. Here the characters share their own stories in dialogue and song–and all the singing is a cappella, and rapturous. The members of the group at this particular meeting are Jessica (Chelsea Williams), Henry (Angelo Harrington II), Paula (Tracy Lynn Olivera), Karly (Ana Marcu), Ed (Jimmy Kieffer), Toby (Aidan Joyce), Marvin (David Toshiro Crane), and Velma (Amelia Aguilar). They have all realized that (in 12-step terms) their dependence on tech is controlling their lives and they are looking for ways to free themselves, or at least take one or two small steps away from the screen. Of course, each group member provides a unique perspective. Where one may worry about what he or she might be missing while being offline, others compare their online presence to a physical addiction or fear the possible negative responses of those with whom they interact. Topics include compulsive gaming, the effect of porn on relationships, and–in the case of longtime member Marvin–an epiphany about finding awe in surprising ways. Director David Muse has worked with these actors–especially Crane, Aguilar, and Joyce–so they can manifest the characters' interior attitudes and make them visibly bring them to life on the stage. Ashleigh King, movement coordinator/choreographer, finds ways for the performers to blur the lines that may separate them from the audience, aided by Moyenda Kulemeka's character-revealing costumes and Mary Louise Geiger's shifting lighting design. Octet runs through February 22, 2026, at Studio Theatre, Victor Shargai Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org. Music, lyrics, book, and vocal arrangements by Dave Malloy Cast: |
