Here Review
I was very excited to see Kelly Bartnik’s new original piece of immersive theatre ‘Here’. Kelly and the cast which includes Tori Sparks, Zach Martens, Donna Costello, and Jeffery Lyon developed the show together with all of them creating the movement/dance, dialogue, and physical score with Kelly being the source of creating the original story and characters.
Without going to much into the plot, 'Here’ follows siblings Jack and Vivian and their neighbors DeeDee and Daniel who are also siblings as they return to Jack and Vivian’s childhood home after the recent death of their father Joe Riley. What follows is a complicated web of secrets, relationships, and memories as the characters attempt to come to terms not only with the loss of this father figure, but come to terms with how they are TRULY feeling now that he is gone. The show truly analyzes loss and grief and how everyone grieves in different ways depending on the relationship they had with who passed.
'Here’ is extremely intimate. Only five audience members enter the Riley house during the performance. With the limited audience members, performers, and a smaller space, 'Here’ is MUCH more intimate and personal than 'Sleep No More’ which features over twenty performers and usually over four hundred audience members. The space itself is beautifully designed and incredibly atmospheric. The past haunts every inch of this house in the form of photographs, objects, and mementos constantly reminding the characters of things they would much rather repress and forget. The show is not a free roaming experience like 'Sleep No More’ but instead features an interesting system of splitting up audience members and putting them in different rooms to experience different parts of the story. All events in the show happen simultaneously, but not everyone will see the entire story.
I personally was mostly connected to the character of Jack played by Zach Martens because I found myself with him for most of the show. Zach is a truly captivating performer and actor. I felt so much for this character and accepted him despite his flaws and mistakes he made. That’s how powerful Zach’s performance is. I felt from the moment we made eye contact that we were connected. This led to an amazing one on one experience with him in which his inner demons came out. It was truly heartbreaking. The fact the show features dialogue is really helpful as to better understand the story but also to set it apart from other wordless immersive productions.
I know I must go back as I would love to see a different track and experience more of the story. I know this show is going to be episodic meaning that this show I experienced was only Episode 1 but honestly if the show ended where it ended I’d be satisfied as I thought the show though short told a complete story despite it’s open ended ending. Overall I adored this production and I am so happy for Kelly and her amazingly talented cast. Please go see 'Here’ and support independent immersive theatre. I love this art form so much and would love to see more from Kelly and her team.
