Tuesday, October 23, 2018

The roots of a play: Into The River I Went (2018)

Troy Foundry Theatre's latest Dark Day Monday presentation brought the troupe back to downtown on Monday with a reading of Nelson Diaz-Marcano's Into The River I Went, a one act play that mixes socio-political commentary with psychological drama.

The story focuses on a newly engaged couple who are preparing to attend a birthday party for the groom-to-be's father. Ben (Ben Williamson) & Raquel (Celena Vera Morgan) have to also deal with Ben's sister, Janet, whose beau, Timmy, is returning home from a recent hitch in the military. However, there is a dark undertone that rises, threatening to turn what is supposed to be a joyous occasion into chaos. It seems Timmy (Tom Templeton) and Raquel have a shared history.........

Diaz-Marcano could not attend the reading, attending to a family emergency back in New York, and would've been thrilled with the packed house that remained riveted to the reading of his play. As with other TFT productions I've seen, the twists and turns in the plot are such that would catch the viewer off-guard with a clear "AHA!" moment or three. Rod Serling would've been very proud.

The site of the program, the Superior Merchandise Company, is a coffeehouse situated in a suddenly very busy section of downtown, with a parking lot separating it from Scarlet Seven Gallery, which hosted a TFT reading earlier this year.

Rating: A.

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