Displaying items by tag: Lisa Sanaye Dring
‘Kairos’ Is One of the Most Enjoyable and Provocative Shows in Chicago
Lisa Sanaye Dring’s play “Kairos,” which just opened at The Edge Off Broadway theater, is one of the most thought-provoking and enjoyable productions I have seen lately. Set in the near future, the 90-minute play (no intermission) is as good anything you might see in streaming shows ("Black Mirror" comes to mind.) Directed by Clare Brennan, “Kairos” is in the midst of its rolling world premiere with the National New Play Network.
As the play opens, David (Johnard Washington is really good), a somewhat detached and scholarly fellow, and the all-business Gina (Tamsen Glaser) meet one rainy night via a mall parking lot fender bender. David is only lightly concerned about his car's damage, as he’s smitten with Gina, who blames him for the accident. During a practical exchange about insurance, police reports and such, Gina discovers she is charmed by David as well. “Here’s my number,” she says. “Not for the accident. For sex….maybe?”
The scenes cycle rapidly through their evolving romance, and they discover more and more appeal in each other. But this fast-paced affair is only a prelude to the core of the story. A few weeks in, they are lounging around, when arresting news crosses their screens: medical science has discovered a treatment, dubbed “Prometheus,” promising eternal life.
What a remarkable premise for a drama. A developing relationship meets a decision about living everlastingly. Way beyond, “Should we get married?” That’s only until death do us part.
Because of its likely appeal, the Prometheus treatment is offered by lottery, and is restricted to those aged 25 to 34, who are also, once treated, prohibited from bearing children. The playwright has upped the ante with that. Candidates apply online, and once selected, must undergo a psychological screening.
David wants in immediately, while Gina figures she’ll just see if she qualifies, and then decide. Their relationship progresses while they await the news, with the usual ups and downs, and matters like meeting family playing out in the background.
As we await the lottery results, we get a feel for the likelihood of David and Gina's relationship surviving on its own terms. David seems more in touch with his feelings, and a bit more empathic. Gina is more self-centered, seemingly waving away the life challenges her partner encounters. When David’s father leaves his mother suddenly after 40 years, he is distraught. Gina doesn’t quite get it. “I’m sorry about your father,” she says, “but he can’t be where his heart is not.”
At the risk of a spoiler, Gina wins the lottery first. I felt my heart racing as she prepared to open the communication. David still hasn’t heard. And when he too is eligible for Prometheus, there is instant elation. “We’re not going to get old together!” he exclaims.
Soon enough we find out it’s not that simple. These two weren’t quite ready for marriage, let alone eternal life. And David must still undergo a psychological exam, which we gather Gina has passed.
The world around them also shifts as society spins into an upheaval, and protests against Prometheus arise. The world is split between “agers,” and those who, because of Prometheus, won’t age.
We soon see fissures in their relationship. David becomes depressed, partly about his parents’ divorce, and we suspect, also about this massive life change. Gina prods him to pull himself together for his psych exam: “They might not want immortal sad boys running around.” I think the heft of the play would be greater if there had been a little more depth to the emotional dynamics of the relationship. It felt a little too once-over-lightly to be convincing. But the storyline is so interesting, it’s not consequential.
“Kairos,” the Greek term for “the right time,” when an alignment of circumstances presents an opportunity, is a recurrent theme in the play, from their very first encounter in the mall parking lot, to opportunity for Prometheus as their relationship gets rooted. An epilogue to the play, dated 2068 A.D., lets us know how things turned out for Gina and David. Produced by Red Theater “Kairos” runs through May 18 at The Edge Off Broadway in Chicago.
*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!
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