Exiled Theatre

REVIEW:  True North and Exiled Theatre’s ‘M. Refractions from an Evil Act’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

A man disoriented on the floor and a door seemingly with a mind of its own.

A sophisticated Parisian hotel holds a lot more than secrets in James Wilkinson’s M: Refractions from an Evil Act.  Is this place escape or a trap?

With unpredictable direction by Joe Juknievich, Exiled Theatre recently presented the world premiere of mystery thriller drama, M: Refractions from an Evil Act live and in person at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, August 9.  This bilingual production in French and English contained some adult themes and was part of Boston University’s Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s Incubator productions.  It ran 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.  Click here for more information.

Peter Tone and Julia Hertzberg in ‘M: Refractions from an Evil Act’ Photo credit: Morganna Becker

With a classic soundtrack that added a vintage flair, M. Refractions from an Evil Act is an intriguing production that does a lot in its two hour run time.  It reaches into a realm of possibilities such as time travel, paranormal activity, possession, loneliness, guilt, and grief when a mysterious woman claims an intruder was in her hotel room.  However, when her claims, sordid history and circumstances for being in Paris suspiciously change on a dime, she becomes a person of interest that cannot be trusted.

Julia Hertzberg and Peter Tone in ‘M: Refractions from an Evil Act’ Photo credit: Morganna Becker

Glamorously dressed in a blue romper with a coordinated scarf, Julia Hertzberg as seemingly self-centered “M” is one moment lonely, the next sharing her grim thoughts and then overwhelmed, disoriented and frustrated at her ordeal wishing to drown her sorrows.  However, this is no ordinary hotel and the people around her have secrets of their own. 

Out of the characters presented, Peter Tone is the most likable as a Hotel Clerk.  Tone is instantly accommodating, genuinely concerned and a sincere listener with good chemistry with Hertzberg’s M while Sydney Grant as brisk, determined, genteel and no nonsense Jolene is laser focused on cleanliness and order.  Grant as Jolene and Hertzberg as M share an intense dynamic while M’s relationship with Tim Hoover as Lone is a striking puzzle.  As soon as things start to become clearer, more and more questions arise.

Tim Hoover and Peter Tone in ‘M: Refractions from an Evil Act’ Photo credit: Morganna Becker.

Producer and costume designer Laura Crook Waxdal delivers chic Parisian style in attire which includes coat and tails, a classic French maid uniform and tailored suit with a brimmed hat.  Nick Duffy’s flickering lighting design lends to the production’s suspense and enlivens Joe Juknievich’s foreboding set depicting a historic hotel room with wooden furnishings.

M does not know and is not interested in learning French and much of the production is in French without translation perhaps to put the audience in M’s shoes.  For those who understand French, you are in the right place. However, it does make this already complex show more difficult to follow.

Sydney Grant and Julia Hertzberg in ‘M: Refractions from an Evil Act’ Photo credit: Morganna Becker

This production was inspired by the playwright’s bizarre three-day Parisian weekend and I wish I knew more about that experience.  Though this thrilling production boasts a lineup of compelling characters while delivering a chilling vibe somewhere between Twilight Zone and Hitchcock with a cryptic sense of humor, it also spends a lot of time deciding the direction of its narrative.  This work in progress touches on a lot of themes presented seemingly out of sequence yet does not fully commit to them.  There’s loss, crime, revenge, special effects and even some mind tricks and while I love a good mystery and appreciate the concept, so many elements are left to interpretation which becomes confusing and frustrating.  The show offers so many possibilities, but leaves more questions than answers.

Exiled Theatre recently presented the world premiere mystery thriller drama, M:  Refractions from an Evil Act live and in person at Boston Playwrights Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, August 9.  Click here for more information.

REVIEW:  Exiled Theatre’s disquieting and fuzzy trilogy thriller ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Three lost women.  One embraces it, one denies it, and one leans into it.

In their first show since the pandemic, Exiled Theatre presented Hauntings I Have Lived Through, a trilogy thriller that took place live and in person at Boston Playwrights Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 19.  Written and directed by James Wilkinson, the show was 80 minutes without an intermission.  Click here for more information on future performances.

From L to R: Laura Crook Waxdal, Morganna Becker, and Alex Alexander in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wikinson

The set, which included a water pitcher and empty glass on a wooden desk sitting on top of a colorful Egyptian rug, is simply staged but each character handles the set differently.  The harp-laden eerie music fits the ominous aura between scenes.

Hauntings I Have Lived Through may hint at a collection of ghost stories especially since it was delivered just after Halloween, but this is not entirely the case.  Three separate women recall enduring unique types of trauma.  However, coping with occasional moments of dark humor, their reactions are relatable even in the darkest of circumstances. 

In The Hanging Tree, an increasing anxious and somewhat disheveled woman approaches the desk.  She admits to coming off a tough breakup, though the breakup is mostly incidental to this woman’s real story. The real story develops from an offhanded remark about a mysterious Sycamore tree in her woodsy backyard of a house she is becoming increasingly uncomfortable residing in.  With darting eyes, increasingly shaking hands, and a pale and stricken expression as she utters the anxiety laden yet humorous remark, ‘Pause for effect’ is effective as a rare light in Alex Alexander’s character’s bleak testimony before veering into an unpredictable direction.

Alex Alexander in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

Morganna Becker’s character has been through a lot, but her frank, sarcastic and chatty tone hints of denial as she recalls a macabre event in the show’s second part, Nora (All Over).  This chapter is a bit muddled and at times difficult to follow, but there is no denying that this woman has also been through defining trauma.  As Becker recounts her story as if incidentally recalling the difficulties of a typically tough day, there is a fear behind her engaging yet guarded demeanor.  This story is particularly graphic and gory while Becker takes it in as if she is a spectator in her own life.  Her subtle fear keeps her sympathetic as if she will at any minute grasp the gravity of what she has experienced.

Morganna Becker in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

The finale, The Dark Lady Gospels, delves into experienced trauma, but does not seem to belong with the other parts of the trilogy.  Laura Crook Waxdal delivers a strong performance as a twisted evangelist, but this compassionate woman does not practice what she preaches.  This part seems more parlor trick and diatribe than what could have been a meaty exploration into this complicated and abandoned woman’s character.  Perhaps her practices are a veiled attempt to cope with trauma, but even so, what she preaches seems beside the point and bereft of hope.  As a woman with a considerable amount to live for, it does not fit squarely into the show’s premise and gradually strays too far from its focus hinging more on fear than exploration.

Laura Crook Waxdal in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

Exiled Theatre presented Hauntings I Have Lived Through, a trilogy thriller that took place live and in person at Boston Playwrights Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 19.  Written and directed by James Wilkinson, the show was 80 minutes without an intermission.  Click here for more information on future performances.