An ambitious and visually arresting piece, I was disappointed with TPAD. Bogged down a bit, perhaps, by opening festival jitters, it took a while for the performers to really get into the skin of their characters. Things felt actor-y and frantic. Coupled with this is the amazing set of massive projection screens simulcasting live feeds of scenes as they happen. Some are via placed cameras, other are via a handheld visual narrator who follows the action.
While I applaud the idea, I found the execution lacking. Many scenes were blocked and staged directly for the camera, rather than for the audience. This gives occasionally odd tableaus. But perhaps I'm missing something. Maybe some of this unsettling juxtaposition is exactly the point.
We're not entirely supposed to empathize with the characters struggling through their relationships and lives, we're only witness to the trainwreck of the journey.
That said, man, that ringing phone at the opening was maddening.
Posted by Brian Costello
PICA
UTR Press Corps
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