Space
Brown venue, find showtimes
A tool that is employed in some of the best dramas is that of confinement. It is compelling to see people in a small space be forced to interact with each other; it’s the same reason reality TV shows are successful. Space takes that concept one step further by raising the stakes even higher and telling the story of spaceship crew that literally can’t escape their captivity, save for taking their own lives.
Space follows the four-person crew of a vessel on a five-year mission to colonize another planet. The script is full of inventive ideas that grab audience members from the beginning, but then don’t all necessarily play out.
Writer and director Corey Volence knows how to craft an atmosphere. His cool shades of lighting and David Lynch-esque use of a constant unsettling background tone are arguably the best parts of the show.
We see the crew as they near the end of their long journey. They include Captain Copeland (Chaz Krivan), mechanic Hightower (Trini Kirtsey), scientist Chesky (Ashleigh Gardner), and Dr. Novak (Brenna Arden). All four are wary of each other and have different motivations to reach the end of the mission. The whole cast is composed of obviously experienced actors who handle themselves with ease on the small Brown venue stage, in spite being surrounded on three sides by audience members – a set up that sometimes reminds of a theme park attraction. Set and costume designer Evan Miga’s thoroughness with each meticulous detail is feast for the eyes and really shines among the minimal sets of most Fringe shows.
There are some aspects of the story that just feel unnecessary, like Novak and Chesky sharing a kiss and then never talking about it again. The characters also ask each other questions that should have been answered this far along in their five years together. The sense of urgency keeps the audience captivated though, even if some facets of the timeline don’t make sense.
Space is fine show that lovers of character dramas and sci-fi nerds alike will enjoy. The tickets are well-worth your time inside of a ship orbiting an unknown planet with four unstable and potentially homicidal crew members. Our future in inter-galactical travel looks bright!
Read all of Watermark’s coverage of the 2016 Orlando Fringe Theatre Festival here.
