Good ol’ Shakespearean existentialism!

Evelyn Gray’s Hereafter follows a lone gravedigger during the Black Plague as he reflects on life, death, and nature. Blending contemporary prose with remixed Shakespearean-style poetry, the show finds an unusual balance between dark comedy and existential reflection.

One standout feature of this show is its clever and unique language choices, being heavily inspired by William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the dialogue frequently shifts between modern prose and a remixed ballad format, this choice gives Hereafter its own stylistic voice. Hereafter is most impactful when its Shakespearean influence and its modern voice work together, adding more depth to themes, as well as creating a surprisingly touching blend of comedy and existential thought, however it felt as though the occasional musical numbers were disconnected from this heightened language, while the humor in said numbers was enjoyable, I sometimes wished the songs had more room to explore the deep and emotional themes that made the dialogue in the show so gripping. If this were done the musical numbers would have felt less like interruptions in the show, and more like extensions of its storytelling.

Evelyn Gray’s performance in Hereafter is explosive. Gray had a strong and comedic stage presence, particularly in their interactions with the audience, Gray's awkwardness in these scenarios was effective because instead of feeling forced, it felt playful and dynamic, constantly bringing the audience in and making them feel like a part of the performance itself. Gray's ability to maneuver through comedy and existentialism was crucial in maintaining the show's unusual style.