Still a relatively recent phenomenon, online dating has become an increasingly acceptable part of our modern society. For millions of people worldwide, it has become the easiest way to connect with other singles in your area. But much like a game of Russian roulette, it’s a risk where anything can happen.
For their final production of the summer, Globus Theatre’s artistic directors Sarah Quick and James Barrett take the audience into the modern world of cyber romance in Sarah Quick’s brand new play Making a Move.
However, Making a Move is unlike any play that has been seen in the Kawarthas.
A high-concept interactive show, each night the play dramatically changes — no audience will see the same show twice. It is Globus Theatre’s attempt at completely experimental theatre — and they succeed beautifully.
“I usually write a play every year, but I wanted to write something a little bit unique theatrically,” Sarah says. “Many of our patrons have been with us for 10 years and are willing to go along with us for whatever we do. So I thought I’d put them on a different theatrical journey.”
Sarah plays Sonia, a divorced mother of two who has been online dating for a while, but not having much success. James Barrett plays Gary, a widower who hasn’t been in the dating scene for ages and really has no idea what he is doing. When Gary sees Sonia’s profile on an online dating site, he decides to write her a note and she responds with her phone number.
Inspired by the “choose your own adventure” books that were staples of juvenile fiction in the 1980s, Making a Move is an interactive production where the audience decides what happens next.
Scene breaks are hosted by Second City alumni and award-winning improvers Dave Pearce and Jennine Profeta who engage the audience in a warm and conversational manner, creating a fun group discussion about what Gary and Sonia are going to do next.
Then, based on audience reactions, the play continues in the direction the audience has decided.
“I thought it would be great to have a play that was hosted much like a game show where the audience is rooting for these two people to get together,” Sarah explains. “What should they do? Where should they go? What should they talk about? How do they progress to the next thing?”
In all, Sarah wrote 36 different possible scenes for Making a Move, but each audience will only get to see eight of the scenes per performance.
“We have all of the scenes memorized, rehearsed, teched, and ready to go,” Sarah says. “Each scene is a sketch, and a lot of them are conversational. We know who the characters are. It’s a clear trajectory.”
It obviously takes a lot of preparation and experience to go into a performance without knowing which scenes you’ll be performing or how the show is going to end, but Sarah and James roll with the punches and perform their characters flawlessly. Due to their trust and chemistry, they are perfectly in sync for such an experimental show and are fun to watch together.
Dave and Jennine, who like James and Sarah are a real-life married couple, have a delightful and comfortable chemistry and create an immediate bond with the audience, easing them into active participation and group discussions about what should happen next.
“We have a varied audience each night of different ages and different backgrounds and they bond together on a common mission to get these two characters together,” Sarah says of the audiences that have already seen the show.
“I wanted a couple to host it as well,” Sarah continues. “I wanted the male perspective and the female perspective.”
The fact that it literally changes each night makes it hard to review this show. What one audience sees one night is not going to be the same show another audience sees the next night.
“I realized when I was writing some scenes that they might never be performed,” Sarah observes. “We might learn it, we might rehearse it and I might love it, but it might never be seen. The audience might never vote for it. So it often made it hard to write the alternative scenes, but I persevered and I would like those ones as well.”
“Occasionally what I’ve done — much like you’d see in a choose-your-own-adventure book — is that I doubled back a little bit,” Sarah admits. “So if there are a few of my favorite scenes, I may have a few different trajectories that might lead back to them.”
Making a Move is a night of theatrical fun with an original concept that not only works well, but will delight any audience. Watching the audience get so involved in the decision making is the biggest part of the fun, and some of the vivid discussions that go on during the scene breaks are just as enjoyable as the show itself.
It is a perfect ending to what is another successful season for Globus Theatre.
“It’s been a great summer for us,” Sarah says. “I think the one thing I am proud of this season is the absolute variety of the five shows we did. Not a single one was remotely similar to the other. That’s what we strive for and that’s what you hope comes out, and it did.”
Making a Move is highly enjoyable, extremely original, and tons of fun. Your final chance to visit the Lakeview Arts Barn for this summer season, Making a Move is a perfect excuse to make the short trip to Bobcaygeon for a fantastic night of excellent professional theatre.
Making a Move runs until September 5th at the Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon). Adult tickets are $29.50 for the show only, or $61.50 for dinner and theatre during evening performances.
