THE VERGE: Small Theater
A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis
At: A Firehouse Theatre production at The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, 2501 Monument Avenue, RVA 23220
Performances: July 25 – August 14, 2019
Ticket Prices: $20 in advance/$30 the day of/$10 for Firehouse members
Info: (804) 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org
Sometimes when writing about a particular production we describe it as different or innovative. Well, all those times were just reviewers crying wolf. Dante Piro’s interactive play, The Verge, is truly different.
First of all, only 8 “guests” are allowed for each performance, and there is a dress code. Black tie is suggested. And the “guests” not only have assignments – along the lines of a mystery dinner theater, but without the food – but they also get to decide the ending, or at least to choose from one of two possible options.
Set in the elegant surroundings of the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, the “guests” gather around a small conference table for the reading of the will of the recently deceased John Randolph Bessenger, CEO of Bessenger’s Bits, an ice cream toppings and condiments company.
There is a legal assistant Alanis (not sure of the spelling, because there is no program) who helps organize the gathering, and an unnamed woman who sits quietly off to one side observing after greeting us at the front door. We “guests” are gathered to hear the reading of the will – a series of letters and puzzles, jokes, and sometimes disjointed ramblings by a dying man.
Dante Piro who wrote The Verge also plays Virgil, Mr. Bessenger’s faithful personal assistant. Virgil, who was given the nickname “Verge” by his employer, is a lovable character but he has a lot of quirks in speech and mannerisms. It’s fascinating to watch Piro work from such a close vantage point. Also fascinating was watching the eight “guests” pull together and work as a team; the play probably has a very different look and feel every time, based on the rotating cast of strangers. The Verge has the dynamics of a pick-up company or improvisation group. At one point, Virgil leaves the room, leaving the eight “guests” alone (under the watchful but unobtrusive eye of the legal assistant and the almost invisible helper) to decide his fate.
Chelsea Burke directed, but it’s hard to determine just how much she had a hand in it. Everything runs smoothly and the eight witnesses are surreptitiously directed as well. Credit Connor Scudder for the scenic design (part of which is the location itself), as well as the props, of which there are plenty – locked drawers, secret compartments, maps and puzzles and more. In fact, it’s the props that get the “guests” involved and working together to solve the mystery. There are twists and turns, not just in the plot, but in Virgil’s reactions and the deceased’s motives, and most noticeably in Piro’s use of language.
Leaving The Verge feels a lot like leaving on the last day of summer camp – the “guests” were just starting to bond, and suddenly it’s time to go back to the real world. The Verge, which has already been extended for five additional performances (August 6, 7, 8, 13 & 14), runs just under 90 minutes with no intermission. If you want to try something other than traditional theater, like a bit of role play, and enjoy a mystery, this production fits the bill.
The Verge runs through August 14 and on August 15,TheatreLAB The Basement opens the world premiere of Piro’s LEVEL 4¸ an existential drama in which the characters are in a video game. LEVEL 4 is also directed by Chelsea Burke.
Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.
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Photo Credits: n/a
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