Notes From Underground
Reviewed by Laura Van Alphen
The vibe of Notes From Underground is intense.
Notes From Underground is a timely and challenging adaptation of Dostoevsky’s novella of the same name. As we follow the protagonist through the events of a night many years ago—scenes which are brought to life by a talented cast led by Moazzam Reza—we bear witness to his increasingly unsettled and erratic mind.
The show opens with a man alone on stage writing his confession. The audience is immediately made aware that this character is consumed by thoughts of his past. Will he be able to face the memories of what he has done? Is it possible for him to be honest with himself? The scene fades and scenes from his memories begin.
At first, the audience may feel pity at the way he is rejected and humiliated at the hands of his peers. But when he does the same thing to a woman he hires at a brothel—treating her with cruelty even when she shows compassion—it is difficult to feel any sympathy for him at all.
This character’s self-isolation, fixation on his own thoughts, and anger at his inability to make change in his world are all timely themes in a world where we live much of our lives online. Notes From Underground may be rooted in the past, but it resonates with a contemporary context.
Note that the themes, sexual content, and violence make this piece suitable for ages 13+.
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Warnings: Sexual Content, Coarse Language, Violence
Genre: Theatre—Drama
Creative Team
Moazzam Reza, Amirah Farooq, Martin Tsvetanov
Cast
Moazzam Reza, Sagal Hussein, Klein Wilhelm, Luke Huffman, Patrick McEwen, Colin Crawford, Roy Mondal, Amirah Farooq (understudy)
Stage Manager
John Acuna
