‘octet’
Until February 26th
studio theater
1501 14th Street, NW
Tickets start at $55
studiotheater.org
David Malloy’s “Octet” delves deep into the depths of digital addiction.
This extraordinary a cappella chamber musical featuring an ensemble of characters explores the lives of recovering internet addicts whose lives have been destroyed by digital addiction. Share what happened and what changed and how.
Dressed in casual street clothes, “Saul’s friends” trickle into the church’s multipurpose room, checking cell phones in baskets, clearing the bingo table and arranging folding chairs in a circle. Before taking their seats, some stop by a side table that offers cookies, tea, and coffee.
The show opens with “The Forest,” a haunting hymn reminiscent of the good old days of analog, followed by glowing screens, constant ringtones, and text messages.
“The forest was beautiful / My head was clear and clear / Alone without fear / The forest was safe / I danced like a beautiful fool / One time, one time.”
There is a preamble, imitating a real step meeting. And then the honest sharing begins, complete with sober time and slip explanations.
Jessica (Chelsea Williams) painfully remembers a video of her meltdown that she wanted to publish went viral and then got cancelled. Henry (Angelo Harrington II) is a gay gamer with Candy Crush issues. Toby (Adrian Joyce), a nihilist who needs a break from the internet, sings, “Anyway/ I’m doing just fine/ Almost/ I’m limiting my time/ Almost.”
The group’s invisible founder Saul is absent as usual.
In his place, Paula, a welcoming woman played with quiet compassion by Tracy Lynn Olivera, stars. She and her husband are no longer connected. They bring screens to bed. In the heartbreak ballad, she explains: “We don’t sleep well/My husband and I/Our circadian rhythms are broken/The pale glow of screens/Sucks the soul and melatonin/Stole all my dreams.”
Marvin, a brainy young father played by David Toshiro Crane, encounters the voice of God after spending much time arguing with strangers on the internet.
Ed (Jimmy Kiefer) is grappling with a porn addiction. Carly (Anna Marc) avoids dating apps, an obsession compared to her mother’s addiction to slot machines.
In addition to writing music, Malloy also writes smart lyrics, books, and inventive vocal arrangements, masterfully blending loneliness with raw harmony. That’s really something.
Octet, conducted by David Muse, is a precisely, quietly but powerfully staged production, featuring a first-rate cast who (when not in the spotlight) use their voices to make sounds and act as a kind of Greek choir. Throughout the 100-minute act, mostly on stage, he displays incredible stamina and concentration.
The immersive work “Octet” makes the audience feel like they are part of the conference. The studio’s Chargay Theater is initially configured in the round. And just like the characters, patrons need to unplug. Everyone must keep their phones locked in a small pouch (which only ushers can open and close), so be prepared for some separation anxiety.
At the end of the meeting, the group dejectedly surrenders. They know they are powerless against internet addiction. But Velma (Amelia Aguilar), a newcomer to the group, isn’t completely convinced. She remembers a time when technology was all the rage.
In a bittersweet moment, she shares an online friendship with a “girl from Sainte-Marie / just like me”.
Habits are not easy to break.
The post Octet, which explores the depths of digital addiction, appeared first on Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News.
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