Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Arras Periodical x Thespian Showcase “Hourglass” was a hit-or-miss filled with masterpieces and mediocrities alike. Each show had its ups and downs but had good messages of friendship, love, and found families.
Kicking off the show was Crystal Huang’s “Everlasting Regret,” a story about a ghost who followed around her chronically ill husband in hopes of communication. While the play seemed to promise intrigue, it stumbled in execution. I was unable to figure out which actor played which character. Despite this setback, Huang’s exploration of regret and missed opportunities offered a poignant message, albeit one that felt somewhat lost amidst the narrative.
Next on the bill was Kate Chua’s “Timmy’s Wish,” a whimsical tale about the lengths Santa Claus takes to attempt to fulfill a young boy’s wish of receiving $1 million, with humorous antics and clever dialogue. The plot felt nonsensical, with its interpretation of a dimwitted Santa Claus along with his overworked elves. One of my favorite scenes in this play was the absolute absurdity of the government coming to arrest Santa Claus for shooting one of his elves.
Andrew Zhu’s “Please Live” tells the story of a man’s journey to cure his ailing mother. The play made up for the lack of emotional connection with its surrealist humor. The audience could’ve been shown scenes with the mother and son, to connect to the son’s plight. Another issue with this play was; certain scenes came off more cringeworthy rather than humorous, with the main character getting on his knees and begging at some point to convince another character to help him.
Jeslyn Nguyen’s “Next Time” emerged as a standout performance, captivating me with its creative format and heartfelt storytelling. As the relationship between Lucas and Ben progressed through email exchanges, I was drawn into a world of unrequited love and bittersweet longing. With a poignant portrayal of friendship, Nguyen’s play left a long-lasting mark on me.
Uyen Yu’s “Don’t Trust Monocled Men” offered a comedy filled with nonsensical humor. While the play’s abrupt ending left me wanting more, its witty banter and fourth-wall breaks kept audiences entertained throughout. Yu succeeded in delivering a lighthearted performance that provided much-needed comic relief amidst the showcase’s more somber plays.
Next came Duong Khuu and Rachiel Hsieh’s “The End of Our Dreams,” a play reimagination of Romeo and Juliet, with the two protagonists being named after Romeo (Rosey) and Juliet, according to the playbill. There were no rivalries within the family, and the forces pushing the characters apart were a combination of distance, when Rosey has to move away, and Rosey’s marriage. While the play’s erratic plotline and one-dimensional characters, such as Paris D’acoholler left me feeling a little disjointed, I appreciated the dynamics between the two protagonists, Rosey and Juliet.
The final play, “I don’t want it to end,” by Andrew Ton, served as a fitting conclusion to the showcase. I appreciated the plot of the story, of a burned-out genius finding her purpose amid an apocalypse. Each character had their compelling backstories, and the music only added to the story.