REVIEW: “In Case of Emergency”
“In Case of Emergency” play performed in the garage of a private residence in Pasadena (Photo – Halei Parker).
Chalk Repertory Theatre is dedicated to producing classical and contemporary plays in unconventional spaces (past productions have been in sites such as the Natural History Museum, a library at UCLA, the Page Museum, a downtown high-rise apartment building, and a church). This time it was in the garage of a private residence in Pasadena.
By Carol Edger Germain
Meredith (Amy Ellenberger) is a single woman working in the banking industry, just out of a relationship, and rather “focused” (yes, obsessed) on being prepared for any emergency. However, her prepping has gotten out of control, which is obvious as the curtain/garage door rises. She could easily sustain her whole block and likely a few surrounding blocks if the “Big One” hits or the fires get close enough. Facing the fact that she can’t actually quickly locate specific supplies in her packed-to-the-rafters garage, she hires Alex (Daniel Rubiano) of “Ready, Set, Go” to help her organize and downsize the hoard. Her younger sister, Emma (Emma Zakes Green) arrives home during the process, and we learn that all three characters are dealing with intense personal disasters, psychological issues, and other dilemmas that the whole garage full of preparations can’t even put a dent in. Meanwhile, a fire is raging in Griffith Park, traffic is deadlocked, Alex can’t get to his kids, Emma is proposing a goodwill stint in Bangladesh with her new boyfriend, and Meredith, who has cared for Emma to a motherly extent, partially out of necessity as they were growing up but now out of habit, and who controls Emma’s money from insurance and inheritance, is trying to organize and control her environment, including the other two people in it. But just when you think you know who’s who and what their issues and missions are and how they are going to interact with each other, the roles shift and you have to start putting the pieces together again. The emotions of fear, rage, love, acceptance, denial, anxiety, dependence and a few others snake in and out around the feet of the three characters in the garage, with plenty of impassioned moments as the dynamics among the characters shift as they all try to communicate and justify their points of view.
The situational rollercoaster and intense dialogue (there is dramatic action too, but much of the action occurs in the audience’s minds as we envision the history, people, and current driving forces being being presented by the three in words). An excellent evening of theater. Very well written by Ruth McKee and directed by Deena Selenow. It was a short run in Pasadena. I love small, intimate theater, and this was about as small and intimate as it gets! And it’s especially unique because it was in our community at a neighbor’s house.
Emma Zakes Green (Emma), Amy Ellenberger (Meredith) (Photo – Halei Parker).
I loved that the first page of the program was a list of emergency supplies that the City of LA recommends every family have on hand, an excellent reminder of what we all should know, but which many of us, myself included, may not have gotten off our “to do” list. I’m inspired to get it done.
I’m looking forward to Chalk Rep‘s next “Flash Festival,” where numerous writers are invited to write original 10-minute plays, and actors and directors only have a few hours to rehearse and produce the plays in, of course, an unconventional space – this year the Flash Festival will be October 6-22 at St. Johns Episcopal Cathedral and I will be reminding ColoradoBoulevard.net readers about it as it gets closer.
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