I Choose You
Reviewed by Pia Shaw
The vibe of I Choose You is silly but serious.
A monk and a fast-talking old-time preacher are on a mission from the Oracle of the Theatre Gods to recruit a reluctant hero to save the theatre world from devastation. Billed as “the story of stories about stories,” a classic Hero’s Journey narrative underpins the whole shebang. Does the hero slay dragons? Nay! He collects theatrical totems in a Pokémon capture device.
Non-Pokémon fans may find the opening battle-room logic a little disorienting at first. Pokémon fans will be a step ahead. Either way, this fast-paced, genre-hopping production is sharper than its over-the-top premise lets on.
The totems themselves are the show's best bits: a Shakespearean dagger scene, delivered with real command, spirals into Three Stooges-style slapstick before the characters get sucked away, and some real quality musical numbers get the same treatment.
The four-person cast ranges from mime to classical verse to song-and-dance to a celebrity impressions contest. They have real range and real chops, and they're clearly having fun with it.
Quick content awareness, there is a stage combat dagger bit and some Stooges-style slapstick fighting, nothing graphic, just good to know going in.
The premise asks a lot of you early on, but the late twist recontextualizes everything that came before. The cast makes it worth the ride, and it'll stick with you after.
Performance Details
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Warnings: None
Venue: The St. Luke's Mission
Genre: Theatre—Comedy
Created by
Reactor Theatre
Featuring
Tyler Brent, Leonard A Cain, Charles Lo Manto, Douglas Millar
