EMA Review: Passage Scrumptious ★★★★

By Erik Engman

Author, Clown and Improvisation Teacher, Theatre Critic EatMoreArtVegas.com

IG: ErikReviewsVegas

Two countries. Country X and Country Y. Intertwined and yet separate. This is the setting for the wonderful and intriguing play Passage by Christopher Chen, a fantasia inspired by E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India, presented as a joint production from Nevada Conservatory Theatre and A Public Fit Theatre Company on the UNLV campus. We are brought into a world where two distrustful groups co-exist. Sounds familiar? 

Directed by Ann-Marie Pereth and Joseph D. Kucan with tragic accuracy, we follow the lives of various citizens from both lands as they interact, love, hate, and misunderstand each other. The dynamic JoAnn Birt, as B, a prominent doctor from Country X, easily carries the story as she navigates the demands of her job, her friendships, and perhaps even love. Sabrina Cofield as Q and Ryan Ruckman as R are powerful and electric as we follow their struggling relationship in a new land. Meanwhile, Autumn Simone Morgan, as H, and Savannah Libatique, as M, have a falling out over whether it’s okay or not to work for Country Y. And holding the glue together are Andrew Bullard (S/D/J) and Gigi Guizado (G/Mosquito/Gecko). Guizado, as the Priestess/Narrator, is divine, effortlessly connecting with the audience. Last, but certainly not least, is the absolutely marvelous Annette Houlihan Verdolino as F. She is the lynchpin of the piece, who doesn’t quite fit in the X versus Y reality. Verdolino is the heart of the play, even when that heart is breaking. 

The design aspects of the production were astounding. Aries Estes’ sound design was eerie and foreboding. Lee Geiger’s gothic lighting design was inspired and fascinating, using shadows and gobos (templates) to full effect. The costumes, designed by Hannah Prochaska, suggested hints of modernity trapped in basic garb from eons ago. And the wonderful set, designed by Momo Sugawara, evoked ancient ruins as well as a barren, not-so-distant future, using simple blocks to transform locations with ease.

I did have some issues with the production. I would have preferred a less modern approach to some of the characters. I felt the dialogue was lost at times. As for the script, I didn’t care for some of the Brechtian elements in a couple of brief moments, such as the introduction of the cast or the pseudo-intermission. I generally find that kind of storytelling a bit heavy-handed. The Priestess / Narrator is more than enough to encourage critical analysis. That said, I think it’s important to note this is a Brechtian type of play, with no real heroes - only complex and flawed characters. I was also not a fan of the cast moving us from seat to seat before the show. I hope I didn’t bother any actors when I wrote a couple of notes from the front row. Sorry!

Besides that nitpicking, I greatly enjoyed this production. This show addresses our tendency to place our biases over human beings. Country X. Country Y. What is the difference, if there even is one? Which one is the oppressor or the oppressed? Or maybe, as quoted in the play, Thich Nhat Hanh says they are both one. And that the real enemies aren’t people, but the beliefs of intolerance, hatred, and discrimination that they espouse. The more I think about this play, the more I love it. Highly recommend.

What: Passage  

When: Saturday, March 28 @ 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 29 @ 2 p.m. & 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 31 through Thursday, April 2 @ 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 4 @ 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.,  Sunday, April 5 @ 2 p.m. & 6 p.m.

Where: UNLV Black Box Theater (Alta Ham Fine Arts Building)

Tickets (including fees)/website: Online: Adults $33.50, Senior/Person with a disability/Military/UNLV Faculty & Staff $28.50, Student/UNLV Student $17.50. In Person at the UNLV PAC Box Office: $30. https://www.unlv.edu/event/nevada-conservatory-theatre-public-fit-passage-2

RATING: Scrumptious ★★★★

Directors: Ann-Marie Pereth and Joseph D. Kucan; Fight Choreographer: Sean Boyd; Props: Cameron Cox; Sound Design: Aries Estes; Lighting Design: Lee Geiger; Costume Design: Hannah Prochaska; Scenic Design: Momo Sugawara; Technical Director: Aya Giardina; Assistant Director: Alexandria Rector; Assistant Technical Director: Brandon Stokes; Production Stage Manager: Will Nethery; Assistant Stage Manager: Kipper Redmond.