THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mac Rogers’ sci-fi saga THE HONEYCOMB TRILOGY is compulsively watchable stuff

IMG_5177One of the pleasant surprises for me in this very busy fall theater season has been Mac Rogers’ compulsively watchable The Honeycomb Trilogy at the Gym at Judson. Before I proceed, let me preface the rest of my review by saying that I missed the first installment of the trilogy, Advance Man. I had initially only planned to see the middle play, Blast Radius (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), out of mere curiosity. However, I was so impressed and intrigued by what I saw that I just had to see how the ingenious sci-fi saga ended. I therefore changed my plans accordingly in order to make room in my busy schedule to attend the final installment, Sovereign (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). Mr. Rogers’ audacious plays (at least the latter two), which to me recall the “moral dilemma” works of sci-fi novelist Orson Scott Card, are by no means perfect – the dialogue can veer towards melodramatic histrionics at crucial points in the plot and some of the acting and direction (courtesy of Jordana Williams) is wildly uneven. But I heartily applaud Mr. Rogers for his mind-expanding premise and for attempting to theatricalize science fiction, often humorously, in these immersive, even thrilling, plays.

The Honeycomb Trilogy, in many ways, is simply a family drama. In the fast-paced Blast Radius, the siblings Ronnie and Abbie find themselves on diametrically opposite sides with regards to how to deal with an alien race that has all but enslaved humanity. Suffice to say, difficult choices are made in order to ensure the survival of the human race. In Sovereign, a court room-like drama which takes place eight years after Blast Radius, the ruthlessly uncompromising, hardened Ronnie finds herself at the breaking point, both physically and emotionally. As the play unfolds, her series of choices surprise those around her, and I suspect herself, as well. The play (and trilogy) ends on a bittersweet tone that’s just about perfect. Both plays are dominated by Ronnie, played here by two different but equally fiery actresses – Becky Byers in Blast Radius and Hanna Cheek in Sovereign. Both actresses anchor their respective plays with performances that crackle with heat and intensity. I must also single out actor Jason Howard in the key human/alien role of Conor in Blast Radius; his is an uncanny, soulful performance that lingers.

 

THE HONEYCOMB TRILOGY
Off-Broadway, Play
The Gym at Judson
Each play runs approximately 2 hours (with one intermission)
The final performance of the entire trilogy is tomorrow, November 14

 

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

Leave a Reply