Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“Time Sensitive”—A Poem of Apocalyptic Dread, at Ragged Wing, Oakland

“Time Sensitive”—A Poem of Apocalyptic Dread, at Ragged Wing, Oakland

April 11, 2019 Carly Van Liere

Millennial Notes

 Amy Sass Articulates Our Tick-Tock Time Anxieties

by Carly Van Liere

An iceless world with a city skyline that reaches the horizon . . . We’ve seen this prediction in every post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, from “Wall-E” to “Oblivion.” Ragged Wing Ensemble’s “Time Sensitive” conjures this dystopian vision with intense choreography and a wicked cadence.

A chorus of businessmen and women stand, arranged on stone risers. They recite stanzas invoking capitalist chaos: “Need something get something QUICK!” They each jab their arms outwards, urgently clenching their closed fists. The angles of their arms create a living sculpture. Ensemble-based moments like this match our smart-phone-driven Need for Speed, satisfying and fun to watch.

Keith Cory Davis, Perry Fenton, and Mary Matabor. Photos by Serena Morelli

The tapping of melting ice underscores the first-world frenzy, as droplets hit the tin plates beneath several ice sculptures. The tennis court shaped stage is decorated with ghostly slabs of ice, designed by Carter Brooks. Some hang wrapped in metal chains, melting while bound.

The world of the show does not seem far away. The dystopian divide between the rectangular high-rise bankers and the cracked sidewalk street-dwellers opens wide. The divide is opening ever wider on the streets of San Francisco. The frantic pace of the show mirrors our manic typing and one-click-buying culture.

Rachel Brown as Employee One.

Standout performances include The Clockmaker (electric Simone Bloch) and the robot-assistant KID (perky Keith Davis). The entire cohesive cast shines as a unit.

The chorus chants beautiful hymns with dark circles under their eyes. All the while, we hear the tapping of the melting ice. Intense, poetic, and highly physical, this performance piece boasts symbolic critiques of capitalism. And the intense show illustrates our warped sensibility of Time.

  • Keith Cory Davis As The Kid Set In Motion By Simone Bloch As The Clockmaker. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble
  • Simone Bloch, Right, As The Clockmaker With The Ice Monks. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble (2)
  • Simone Bloch As The Clockmaker. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble
  • Rachel Brown, Left, As Penny And Alicia Piemme Nelson As Roach. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble
  • Rachel Brown As Employee One. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble (2)
  • Mary Matabor As Ice Monk Preserves The Memory Of The Earth. Photo By Serena Morelli For Ragged Wing Ensemble

Photos by Serena Morelli

“Time Sensitive” written and directed by Amy Sass, at The Flight Deck, Oakland, California, through Saturday, May 4, 2019. Info: raggedwing.org

Cast: Simone Bloch, Rachel Brown, Keith Cory Davis, Jordan María Don, Perry Fenton, Akaina Ghosh, Mary Matabor, Alicia Piemme Nelson, Emmy Elizabeth Pierce, Kaylamay Paz Suarez, Alex Trono, and Joshua Waterstone.


Millennial Notes, Plays
art, business, Capitalism, climate change, Dance, dystopia, Future, glaciers, melting, Science, skyskrapers, spectacle

Post navigation

NEXT
“The Diary of Anne Frank”—Life in the Face of Fear, at Center REP, Walnut Creek
PREVIOUS
“The Jungle” Wakes US to Global Refugee Crisis, at The Curran, S.F.
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us

BLM

Black Lives Matter

Subscribe for upcoming reviews!
Loading

Current Shows

  • “Private” Tears A Marriage Wide Open—at SFBATCO
  • “Dry Powder” Spotlights Wall Street Power-Brokers—at Left Edge
  • “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” Enchants with Sass & Satire—at Ross Valley
  • “Clue” Melds Mystery & Comedy into Entertaining Adventure—at SF Playhouse
  • “Donna”: Intimate Interviews Celebrate Trans Triumphs—On Screen
  • “Fannie”: Sixties Spirituals Pave Path to Freedom—at TheatreWorks
  • “’Tasha” Tackles Raw Racism—at 3Girls
  • “Tea Party” Brews Up a Cup of America—at The Strand
  • “A Raisin in the Sun” Explodes with Drama and Power—at 6th Street
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Deserves Its Standing Ovation—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Mixes Nostalgic Hits with Terror—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Fun Home” Seduces with Strong Songs & Sultry Sass—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Anything Goes”: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-lovely—at 42nd Street Moon
  • “SIX, The Musical” Celebrates Women’s Freedom & Individuality—at BroadwaySF
  • “Fun Home” Bursts with Love & Feeling—at Berkeley Playhouse

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.
Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC. Follow us on: facebook.com

© 2023   All Rights Reserved.