“The Kill-or-Dies” – EXTENDED

::STOP PRESS::

Electric Footlights and Moving Arts Theater extend the West Coast run of The Kill-Or-Dies

The play continues at the McCadden Place Theater through January 17, 2016

Here is my latest theater review for the critical website Stage Raw.

We recommend this fine play.

Happy reading!

The Kill-or-Dies.

RECOMMENDED:

From lights up, playwright Meghan Brown’s drops her audience right into the swirling midst of her drama. A woman enters a chintzy living room, startling the other occupant, asleep on the couch. The two women immediately launch into the kind of rapid-fire, overlapping and messy argument familiar to siblings or long-time friends. But are they sisters? Part of Brown’s genius is to surrender little bits of information gradually. You might not know what’s going on right away, but eventually you see the pieces falling into place as the plot comes together. It’s best not to ask too many questions and just sit back and enjoy the thrill ride.

It transpires that this is a pair of opposites. Chelsea (Karina Wolfe) is a mousy shut-in while Maggie (Megan Kathleen Duffy) is a stylishly dressed and confidently domineering type. She’s also a skillful liar and manipulative sociopath. Maggie has shown up to Chelsea’s (recently deceased) Grandmother’s country home with an important job for Chelsea. It’s easy enough; pop down to the local watering hole, switch bags with a stranger, don’t ask any questions then return with the other bag. Get paid $15,000 for less than 10 minutes work. What could be simpler? But suddenly Chelsea has cold feet, and so the women hotly debate the issue.

Little do they know there’s a greater threat lurking beyond the cottage door. When Maggie’s irate boyfriend Billy (Daniel Dorr) shows up, backed by his large and terrifying henchman Lawrence (Rob Nagle), each of the women has to do some fast-talking to get out of trouble.

In portraying Chelsea, Wolfe brings real emotional depth and complexity to her character. Duffy is absolutely convincing in her portrayal of an equally complex persona, someone who you both loathe and admire in equal measures. Dorr’s Billy is more a love struck loser than a criminal mastermind, which is something Maggie expertly exploits. Nagle negotiates the nuances of his menacing hit man with aplomb.

Brown’s brilliantly crafted one-act play is a taut thriller, with flashes of black humor, featuring four intriguing characters and correspondingly mesmerizing performances. Direction from Darin Anthony is solid.

You can also watch my pithy “Exit Review” vlog here.

Electric Footlights in association with Moving Arts presents

The Kill-or-Dies by Meghan Brown.

at the McCadden Place Theatre

1157 N McCadden Place
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Performances:

Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM

Sundays at 3PM

(No show November 27)

Runs through December 13, 2015.

Running time is 85 minutes, no intermission.

Tickets:    available online here.

Prices:      $20.00