Directors Nick Lemmer and Heath Sartorius have taken a talented band of actors into an intriguing selection of characters as they go to their scary places. Sadonna Croff, Angela Dill, Ben Guenther, Danica O’Neil, Spencer Perrenoud, Madi Shank and Anna Szabo all play multiple roles.
The evening begins with an artsy pantomime of assorted silent fears, then launches into the seven playlets, NOT in the order they are listed in the program.
Rich Espy’s “Killing Trudy” features an overbearing Angela Dill as the personification of every worry in your head, threatening the relationship of Anna Szabo and Spencer Perrenaud. Andra Clardy’s “Code” is a showdown between bureaucrat Sadonna Croff and underling Danica O’Neill in a futuristic big-brother world.
Kathleen Barber’s “Legs” has a charming Spencer helping fellow amputee Angela come to terms with not being whole. John Minigan’s “Family Planning” challenges mom, Angela, and daughter, Danica with the consequences of a “sick day.” Chris Shaw Swanson’s “Bunker Bound” pits mother Sadonna against daughter Anna Szabo in her mission to save her and her children from the end of the world.
The two funniest offerings were “October" where baseball fanaticism/superstition is taken to absurd levels by Ben Guenther and Madi Shank despite the efforts of Anna Szabo — and Jack Karp’s “Donald Trump Is a Racist, Xenophobic, Sexist, Ignorant, Tiny-Handed, Tangerine-Faced Narcissist Who Has No Business Being President and Should Be Impeached” gives us suspicious, agents Ben and Madi challenging and “processing” an audience of “traitors" lured in by an inflammatory title.
Fears and Phobias continues Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through May 20 at the Robin Theatre in Reo Town.
http://www.ixiontheatre.com
Next year’s theme is “Hope” - Playwrights are invited to submit short scripts about hope - or the lack thereof - each using no more than 4 actors in a simple or abstracted setting, no more than 12 pages long. Include only first initial and last name of author, no bios included, multiple submissions are allowed. Digital submissions only to ixionensemble@gmail.com before 5pm September 30.