On a snowy night in a rural farmhouse, three siblings huddle together in the dark with a flashlight, while the audience (unseen by them) gathers closely around. Expect to be fully immersed in this beautiful, provocative and disturbing ghost story, a memory play by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater’s Daniel Talbott (Slipping) that Time Out Chicago calls “a work of spare and haunting power.” The Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039; $20-$34; 310-307-3753; www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.
What Happened When
Reviews
The simplicity of "What Happened When" highlights its emotional, empathetic performances and thought-provoking set. This production may take a moment to digest—but it will leave its mark on everyone who sees it.
PROFOUND, EVOCATIVE AND INTENSE… incredibly well written, masterfully created.
The show is short, but you'll come out of it dazed from the emotional roller coaster ride its riveting ghost story of loss, dysfunction, and devastation takes you on.
On a cold, dark night, three siblings gather together on a bed sharing warm, hopeful stories of their futures with one another, but the warmth doesn't come and the stories just more chilling as each year passes in this dark and disturbing ghost story and memory play by rattlestick Playrwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott. What Happened When is an unsettling look at how the secrets of a dark and troubling history take three siblings on three different dangerous twists over the course of six years in a puzzle that the audience must piece together to feel the spine tingling tales from the ghosts of the past.
The survivor of a horrific childhood is visited by ghosts of his dark and desolate past in Daniel Talbott's memory play What Happened When, now getting an exquisitely designed Echo Theater Company West Coast Premiere unfortunately made more cryptic than already written by one bad casting choice.
The Echo Theater Company's production, under Chris Fields' assured direction, is tight and powerful...Talbott pulls off an impressive feat by packing an hour long show with an almost ridiculous number of awful things besetting his characters (I'd list them except I don't want to spoil anything), yet still managing to make the story genuinely affecting...What Happened When isn't light entertainment, to put it mildly. It's the theatrical equivalent of a triple espresso shot — drama distilled down to a thing of dark potency. It's not for everybody, but for those willing to take the ride, it's a moving, indelible experience.
This cast is extraordinary, expressing a range of emotions that is utterly, intensely absorbing. Nothing is held back. It is as tight an ensemble as can be imagined.
The relationship between the siblings is complicated and Stack, Clute, and Neary give this furtive character study the kind of realistic juice it needs to be believable. Stack takes the lead much of the time and has a rare talent for splitting open a character's soul with uncensored vulnerability. The result is a compelling performance that grounds this production in a world of half-truths and look-aways until the only thing left to do is face the demons head on.
The simplicity of "What Happened When" highlights its emotional, empathetic performances and thought-provoking set. This production may take a moment to digest—but it will leave its mark on everyone who sees it.
PROFOUND, EVOCATIVE AND INTENSE… incredibly well written, masterfully created.
The show is short, but you'll come out of it dazed from the emotional roller coaster ride its riveting ghost story of loss, dysfunction, and devastation takes you on.
On a cold, dark night, three siblings gather together on a bed sharing warm, hopeful stories of their futures with one another, but the warmth doesn't come and the stories just more chilling as each year passes in this dark and disturbing ghost story and memory play by rattlestick Playrwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott. What Happened When is an unsettling look at how the secrets of a dark and troubling history take three siblings on three different dangerous twists over the course of six years in a puzzle that the audience must piece together to feel the spine tingling tales from the ghosts of the past.
The survivor of a horrific childhood is visited by ghosts of his dark and desolate past in Daniel Talbott's memory play What Happened When, now getting an exquisitely designed Echo Theater Company West Coast Premiere unfortunately made more cryptic than already written by one bad casting choice.
The Echo Theater Company's production, under Chris Fields' assured direction, is tight and powerful...Talbott pulls off an impressive feat by packing an hour long show with an almost ridiculous number of awful things besetting his characters (I'd list them except I don't want to spoil anything), yet still managing to make the story genuinely affecting...What Happened When isn't light entertainment, to put it mildly. It's the theatrical equivalent of a triple espresso shot — drama distilled down to a thing of dark potency. It's not for everybody, but for those willing to take the ride, it's a moving, indelible experience.
This cast is extraordinary, expressing a range of emotions that is utterly, intensely absorbing. Nothing is held back. It is as tight an ensemble as can be imagined.
The relationship between the siblings is complicated and Stack, Clute, and Neary give this furtive character study the kind of realistic juice it needs to be believable. Stack takes the lead much of the time and has a rare talent for splitting open a character's soul with uncensored vulnerability. The result is a compelling performance that grounds this production in a world of half-truths and look-aways until the only thing left to do is face the demons head on.