Mice

MICE will appeal to horror aficionados – especially in this Halloween season. But it will appeal even more to individuals who have been exposed to the many controversial discrepancies present in religion, differences between beliefs and behaviors.

....Mice, short on internal logic and intellectual heft, never gets past its callow fantastical plot, and is humorless besides.

I'll first note that, although I went in expecting not to like this show — as I'm not a big fan of such dramas — this one caught my attention. I found the story, umm, captivating, and I really had no idea where it would go. That's good. From reading some reviews, there was a worry that it would be scary or sadistic, but I didn't find that to be the case. Second, it was really interesting to see this on the heels of Bright Star. There is an interesting connection with and parallel to the two stories, and a similar suspension of disbelief is required for both shows.[...] But overall, I found this an interesting play — as any discussion between two captors might be.

Overall, this is a fine production of a promising play. Which exactly suits Ensemble Studio's mission — to find and develop new works and new writers. EST/LA brings together talents any playwright would die for. And Nelson clearly has the skill needed to polish Mice into the brisk, disturbing comic drama it nearly is.

Nelson, who developed this play in EST/LA's New West under-30 playwrights' program, smartly delivers only limited doses of relevant information about the trio's previous experiences, allowing our perpetual unease to arise out of the unfolding events rather than the surprising recollected revelations. Director Roderick Menzies does everything right to deny us even the briefest respite from the horror of the entire extended moment, frequently aided by sound designer David Boman's ominous sonic undertone.

"Mice" holds you in a state of suspense from start to finish with its compelling performances and creepy setting.

Whether the suit's power is a manifestation of Mouseman's psychosis or a supernatural agent of evil is anybody's guess, but whatever the case, Nelson's bizarre plot results in suspenseful moments that are genuinely unsettling.

Playwright Schaeffer Nelson grew up in an Evangelical ministry family in Kansas and the play is his attempt to break up with his ex, God.