Coterie "Science Fiction Triple Feature" review by Guildenstern

Triple feature too ambitious for a one hour show

Rating: 3

Science Fiction Triple Feature

The Coterie Theatre

The Coterie might have done better to abandon its concept of a science fiction trilogy and focused instead on just presenting a full hour of "Flowers for Algernon". Their "Science Fiction Trilogy" breezes through three short stories in an attempt to cram them into a tight 75 minutes, making two of the episodes seem trite and never letting the characters and situations in "Algernon" to fully develop. None of the plays feel much separated from their literary roots, although their "Algernon", adapted from a BBC radio drama, fares much better in a theatrical setting than the other prose works.

The opening play, "The Veldt", feels less like science fiction and more like a historical recreation of the 1960s aesthetic. Its drab gray costumes and complementary set portray a mid-20th century vision of what the future might be. It's fun retro design, but the drama is awkward and the house of the future relies on off-stage events, poorly realized effects, and heavy exposition (all of which are, consequently, 1960s aesthetics).

"Flowers for Algernon" is a terrific showcase for Rusty Sneary, who transforms effortlessly from a mentally challenged patient to mentally exceptional researcher over the course of the play. The fact that a similar situation actually happened, as the film "Awakenings" and work of Oliver Sacks demonstrates, removes this story from the realm of science fiction. "Algernon" is a touching, humorous, and emotional journey, but it lacks fully rounded relationships with the secondary characters - something that could easily have been developed with a longer running time. That might have transformed it from sci-fi curiosity to a mesmerizing piece of theatre. It would have also helped if the stage were designed specifically for "Algernon". The set only seemed to benefit "The Veldt".

The closing play, "By the Waters of Babylon", fares the worst. Although the staging is strikingly visual and energetic, it's basically a recitation of the short story's prose and has little inherent drama. Luckily it's short, but those extra fifteen minutes could have made "Algernon" that much more powerful.

Granted, it's interesting to examine the threads that tie these three stories together, because although as science fiction they are all extremely dated and lack a contemporary vibe (the most recent story, "Flowers for Algernon", is from 1952) they remain relevant cautionary tales about issues we still face today. That's great from an academic and literary perspective, but as a theatre piece "Flowers for Algernon" alone would have sufficed.

read the review at KC Stage