Orbit

This sci-fi one act play about a woman (Ivy Miller) alone on a errant space shuttle, & the helpline operator (Will King) who's her only link to civilization, is sparse, unsettling, & effective, especially due to the eerie projection & sound design.

The premise and stakes of the story are genuinely strong, and setting a very current issue in a future, space-set world is an interesting move, though I'd push back on calling it "sci-fi," since the label felt more like marketing than a description of what the show actually is.

The emotional core rang true throughout and was clearly the strongest choice in the piece, even if the message felt heavy-handed and repeated more than it needed to; a bit more trust in the audience would go a long way. The male lead delivers a strong performance, and I loved the choice to make the manager a bot. The female lead's performance started at full intensity and had nowhere left to build over the hour, which flattened some of the tension elsewhere. Staging-wise, it felt rigid and leans more on set, props, and projections than it needs to, especially since the projections undercut a big reveal that would have hit harder without them. At 60 minutes, this felt like it could be tightened to 45. The playwright has a strong emotional instinct, and just needs some more seasoning in pacing and craft to fully land it.

I absolutely loved this show. The plot had me hooked, the performances were incredible, it was funny, emotional, suspenseful and insightful and I've been thinking about it for days. It was a little bit heavy-handed with the messaging at a few points but overall it managed to stick the landing and I wish I had time to see it again.

Shunsho Ando Heng's NNNN review of Orbit from NEXT Magazine.

It’s rare to see a science fiction label applied to a Fringe show, I couldn’t resist. The futuristic setting and premise has a lot to say about the present day situation of many immigrants in Canada and around the world. I found the characters interesting and engaging, I was invested in their outcomes. The projected visuals are outstanding, inspired by the retro-future look from the Alien movies. It works really well, looks impressive, and adds to the story. I took a chance on this one and it really paid off. Recommended.

Although it was relatable, well written and decently performed, somehow it just didn't grab me. Something felt missing. Some of my friends really loved it though.

Orbit: - ABSOLUTELY recommend (caught me by surprise and was an impulse purchase to pass the time while I was waiting between shows). - Tightly written, well-acted, well-performed. - Play is incredibly well-weaved on how it touches on multiple themes deftly and without being overtly in your face about it (immigration classism, economics, systematic challenges, so many things). - Use of the stage is simple and well-thought out, and the sound is clear. - It is a very tight hour. - No complaints that I can make even if I wanted to. - GO SEE THIS SHOW!

A sci-fi thriller about finding our place in the universe, "Orbit" does what sci-fi does best: holds up a mirror to our current society with glaring accuracy.

You can read my full review below!

Really well-written piece. Impressive performances, too. Definitely worth seeing now, so when it’s remounted on the Tarragon or Passe Muraille main stage in a year or two you can smugly brag to your friends that you saw it first at Fringe!