Happy sold-out closing show tonight to the Here & Their rock queer nonbinary musical by Jasmine Joshua and Heather Ragusa. It was a very Capitol Hill-chic crowd last night at 12th Ave Arts. Don’t wait for my full review to join tonight’s waitlist. Entry is still very possible. Last night, several wait list folks got in and some were even standing room only. Great way to celebrate Pride weekend! #lgbt #lesbian #LGBTQIA #trans #gay
Happy opening night to Dacha Theatre’s Emma rom-com play production based on Jane Austen’s classic novel. On stage at 12th Ave Arts till 4/19/25. Look out for my full review! #romanticComedy
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Time Stands Still by Thalia’s Umbrella at 12th Ave Arts. Engaging dialogue packed with poignant moments. Loved the charming Elle Woods-like comic relief contrast from Tessa “Cricket” James.
Recommendation: See it, especially if you enjoy dialogue plays.
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe if it was produced somewhere like Seattle Rep or ACT Theatre
Mainstream Appeal: Medium
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes
My Synopsis (No Spoilers):
A renowned photojournalist, celebrated for her daring assignments abroad, returns home to the USA injured after surviving a roadside bomb. As she grapples with physical and emotional scars, she struggles accepting the monotony of mundane conventional existence.
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: A photo-journalist has been badly injured in a war zone, and she returns home to recuperate and figure out what is next. Her partner wants to get married and have kids. She wants to get back on her feet. Even for those for whom this dangerous work is a calling, there must come a time when they have risked enough, lost enough. Done enough. How do they decide if that time has come? Both funny and poignant, TIME STANDS STILL offers four different models of how to live a good life in troubled times.
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Few
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Just one – a Brooklyn apartment
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes-ish, but it was mostly dialogue. There’s only so much that can occur in an apartment.
Union Actors: 2
Total Actors: 4
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Was there an intermission? Yes
Length (Including Any Intermission): 130 minutes
Other Rave(s)
Character Contrasts: I loved the juxtaposition between Sarah Goodwin (played by Jen Taylor) and Mandy Bloom (played by Tessa “Cricket” James). Sarah was a cynical, fiercely independent, world-hardened, respected photojournalist who didn’t need no man! She carried herself with a serious, no-nonsense edge, exuding an air of intellectual elitism and slight masochism. Mandy, on the other hand, was her complete opposite—the epitome of a ditsy girly girl. As Pilates-practicing event planner, she radiated warmth and naivety, embracing a lighthearted approach to life, loving babies/puppies and enjoying the moment. Their dynamic felt like the classic culture clash of NYC intensity vs LA sorority and it sparked humorous tension on stage.
Dialogue: I usually prefer plays with more action, but the writing was so engaging that I didn’t even realize how dialogue-heavy it was until midway through the first act. The script was also filled with many poignant and thought-provoking lines.
Gasp-worthy Moments: I love a good gasp-worthy moment that jolts the audience with raw, unexpected intensity. It could be a sudden shout of self-defense, an unintended blow to an already vulnerable partner, an emotional outburst in a partner’s defense, or a spiteful breakup argument. Sure, they can sometimes feel gratuitous. But what can I say? I live for the drama!
The Price of Journalism: This play interestingly brings to light the mental anguish and emotional detachment that reporters and photojournalists must endure in their work. In the comfort of a peaceful, developed nation like the USA, we passively view images of atrocities from places afar without considering the toll on those who capture them. Behind many compelling photos or urgent new reports is someone who compartmentalized their emotions to bring the truth to the general public.
“Favorite Lefty Pastime”: James Dodd (played by Quinlan Corbett) delivers a biting tirade on the futility of featuring progressive ideals in theatre scripts. Admittedly, he makes a compelling point. Too often, these productions preach to the choir. The very audiences who need to hear these messages the most aren’t in the seats. Meanwhile, those who do attend the shows “go home feeling like they’ve done something, when in fact all they’ve done is assuaged their liberal guilt!” As much as I hate to admit it… he’s not off base.
Rant(s)
Stage Configuration: The traverse stage layout (where the audience sits on the north and south of the stage but not the east and west) felt inequitable. For this general admission show, I highly recommend sitting on the side closest to the audience entrance. The opposite side offers a noticeably inferior view. I often found myself frequently staring at the backs of actors sitting on a loveseat, which left me feeling a bit of FOMO. It also took me far too long to notice that one character wore scar makeup on one side of their face, which I missed from my vantage point. I’ve now seen at least two recent productions at 12th Ave Arts (Cost of Living and Miss You Like Hell) that employed this traverse stage layout. In all cases, I would have preferred traditional front-facing or L-shaped staging. While traverse layout can create intimacy, it also risks alienating half the audience at any given moment.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Local Appeal: The protagonist, Sarah Goodwin (portrayed by Jen Taylor), likely resonates with Pacific Northwest audiences, what with the REI-style outdoor adventurism, hero-complex progressive idealism, modest approach to privilege/wealth, and the affinity toward “vacationing” in developing countries.
Theatre Company: Thalia’s Umbrella
Venue: 12th Avenue Arts
Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Price Range: ~$50
Seating: General Admission
Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Even if you can find street parking, it often costs more than some parking lots. If you don’t take the bus, I highly recommend the paid lot at 1300 E Olive St with the entrance on 14th Ave.
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Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.
Tessa “Cricket” James and Mark Kuntz. Photo by Valerie Ryan Miller.Jen Taylor. Photo by Annabel Clark.Jen Taylor and Quinlan Corbett. Photo by Annabel Clark.Tessa “Cricket” James and Mark Kuntz. Photo by Annabel Clark.Jen Taylor, Mark Kuntz, Tessa “Cricket” James, and Quinlan Corbett. Photo by Annabel Clark.Tessa “Cricket” James and Mark Kuntz. Photo by Annabel Clark.
Congrats to Thalia’s Umbrella on the opening night of their Time Stands Still play production. Performing at 12th Ave Arts till 3/15/25. Look out for my full review! #photographer #reporter #journalist
@showsiveseen Sam Holcroft's "Edgar & Annabel" #play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Seamless coordination between what's real vs fake. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" or "Alias" vibes. Begins with a novel optional interactive spy remedial training. Tickets selling out w/ only 4 more performances left till the 11/30/24 closing! Review: showsiveseen.com/10433 Director: Charlotte Peters Stage Manager: Kimberly Le #theatre#showsiveseen♬ Play Pretend – bby ivy
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sam Holcroft’s Edgar & Annabel play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Seamless coordination between what’s real vs fake. Mr. & Mrs. Smith or Alias vibes. Begins with a novel optional interactive spy remedial training. Tickets selling out with only 4 more performances till the 11/30/24 closing!
Recommendation: See it.
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): A spy couple strugges to balance their real personal life vs their fake professional life. But at what cost? Is it worth it?
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Conscientious recycling, karaoke parties, home cooked meals: Edgar and Annabel enjoy the perfect, middle-class marriage. And they can keep it if no one finds out they’re actually Nick and Marianne, two resistance fighters who assume fake identities to avoid the detection of an Orwellian government. With every moment of their lives literally scripted to support the subterfuge, the slightest surprise puts them and their whole organization at risk. When rewrites and improvisations throw their plans into chaos, they wont know who they can trust least of all each other. A darkly comedic spy thriller, Edgar & Annabel explores the lines between public and private, asking what we would sacrifice to stay free.
Prior to performance of this riveting tale, the audience is invited to arrive early to participate in a collection of puzzles meant to train the next generation of Agents tasked with seeking out subversive elements. This training is available as early as 7:00pm, with cohorts of recruits allowed into the theatre roughly every ten minutes until the start of the show. While these puzzles are optional and merely observing is perfectly allowed, PWT encourages everyone to arrive early to take advantage of the full experience.
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Only 2-3
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Union Actors: 0
Total Actors: 7
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Was there an intermission? No
Length (Including Any Intermission): 80 minutes
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No, but it was good
Mainstream Appeal: Medium
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above
Real vs Fake Life: The script and actors expertly switched between portraying what the spy characters wanted to show to their enemies versus revealing to the audience their true emotions. It was as if they were performing for two audiences: the one watching in the theatre and the one monitoring them through surveillance.
Interactive Training: Before the main performance, audience members were encouraged (but not required) to participate in mock spy remedial training exercises that consisted of audio surveillance, a cluster scan, and a crime scene investigation. While I personally don’t gravitate to interactive theatre (pillow princess here!), Seattleites and Portlanders people would eat this up. I will say that the crime scene investigation answers were impossible!
Theatre Company: Pony World Theatre
Venue: 12th Ave Arts
Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Price Range: $24
Dates: November 1 to November 30, 2024
Seating: General Admission
Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Even if you can find street parking, it often costs more than some parking lots. I highly recommend the paid lot at 1300 E Olive St with the entrance on 14th Ave.
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