Cult Following
This play was excellent. The story and the acting were compelling, and set a chilling tone. Every step was as familiar as it was sinister. There was a raw honesty in the writing and the performances that really drew me in. LOVED the end- it gave me a lot to think about. What and who can a person depend on in this world? We can, at least, depend on seeing ourselves reflected in performance art like this.
This plays biggest challenge was the blocking. everything is on the floor and they put a sink front and centre stage.the first row is the only one to see anything. The premise was great but the end result had a lot of challenges and almost made no sense. introducing 2 new characters in the last few minutes of the show is never a good idea. it really felt thrown together in terms of set. the costumes were good .
I loved the bizarre concept of the show. I think more emotional levels would have sold the (actually quite) humorous script. Possibly more workshopping was needed but, an extremely fascinating idea and I will continue seeking art that grapples with loneliness, addiction, the yearning for connection in the age of TikTok/AI.
Gripping, though it felt like something was missing. A lot happened, and yet I was left with the strange feeling that not much had truly happened at all. I also realized I may have missed the first line of the play’s description, so my expectations going in were quite different from what the piece ultimately explored.
In the end, it felt less like a plot-driven story and more like a character study: a deep dive into the kind of addiction AI can create, and how that addiction takes hold of both the mind and body. The central character was fascinating to watch, and all of the actresses delivered EXCELLENT performances.
Because of the layout of the venue and the fact that the actors spend 90% of the show sitting/laying down, only the first 2 rows can actually see what's going on.
On the bright side, I didn't feel like I missed much. The plot didn't make any sense, the writing was bad, and I just couldn't wait for it to end.
A great concept with some memorable performances and explores some intriguing issues like loneliness manifesting as AI obsession and vulnerability as a target for manipulation; but the show is held back by its pacing, and story beats that could have been cut or reworked to focus on the main premise.
I was blown away last year with this troupe's show My Loneliness is Killing You. Creative, cutting edge, unpredictable and funny amidst the morbidity. Therefore, I had to check the next one out.
This one felt not as fully realized with more of a scattered hodge podge of ideas and side characters. However, it also had its moments of comedy, a good examination of addiction, and a plot that picked up upon arrival at the cult.
Really enjoyed the actress who played the cult trainer. Her expressions were like AI and I think that was the point.
The theatre I saw this at unfortunately is not very viewer friendly so I recommend to sit in front or aisle. I missed some action and think the venue is more for solo shows.
Overall, I recommend audiences check this troupe out. I suspect they even have a signature ending style to their shows. 'My heart goes out to them'.
This is what Fringe theatre is all about: an original idea, that makes you ponder relevant issues and trends, put on by a talented group of emerging artists! Spooky but not too scary, with some great comedic moments!