As sacrifices go, staying home when possible and wearing masks in public seem like fairly small requests. But as we’ve seen, when hyperindividualism trumps community, the results can be deadly.
ALAS is a fragment of a larger Vişniec piece, Cabaret of Words, translated by Daniela Șilindean and directed by Michael Mejia, featuring a cast of 16, from Trap Door local regulars to artists from their sister company, Trap Door International in Barcelona. It’s more of an experimental film than a narrative theatrical piece translated online, and as such it’s in perfect synch with the entwined strengths of Trap Door and Vişniec; building a sense of fear and paranoia through reiterations of key phrases (some delivered in Afrikaans, Catalan, Italian, and Spanish as well as English), with occasional dashes of mordant wit and raw explosions of primal pain. (Trap Door’s love of exaggerated makeup, designed here by the actors, and stylized movement is also present.)
The story intertwines the players with their Dungeons & Dragons characters, with the lines between the worlds nearly erased by the gaming climax. But McNary also gives us a solid Nick Hornby-esque take on friendship and romance. John Francis (Leo Michael LaCamera), the dungeon master and glue for the crew, has decided to move out of his mom’s basement, recognizing that “I’ve become a fucking stereotype of my hobby,” and take a job in San Francisco. However, the real dilemma for the friends is the announcement by Jason (Jacob Bates) that he’s joined the Marines. (The play is set in the early days of the Iraq War.) This particularly upsets John Alex (Scott Francis Longpre), who seemingly has some qualities in common with his “backstabbing rogue” D&D character and who hates seeing disruptions in what he views as a comfortable life pattern.
ALAS, through 9/24, available anytime with purchase, trapdoortheatre.com, $10; Of Dice and Men, free through 8/14, then afterward for donation on Patreon, otherworldtheatre.org.
