Triple Bypass: Three Ten-Minute Plays About Living for Death and Dying for Life

Play 1: Seeking Dignity

"Time heals all wounds, right?"

Great script, great acting, great story. Set in a world where you can arrange your own death, this dark and emotionally-charged narrative portrayed an interesting subject matter and raised some very poignant questions.
Paige Waith Tiede's purposeful and focused performance as the 'Friend' knew exactly what she was there for the moment she entered the stage. Her quietly commanding delivery was complimented by Kane Anderson as Darnell, a troubled man seeking the end. Anderson's performance was truly moving and has left a lasting impression. In such a short space of time, he made the audience care, cry and feel disgusted in just 10 minutes. He had Jesse Plemmons vibes, and I thought he was wonderful.
The twist in this tale is an upsetting one, but one that is expertly performed by both Tiede and Anderson.
This first play really does hit you over the head with a metal pipe. Incredible.

Play 2: Close to Black

"I suppose I'm waiting for my life to start."

What if heaven was a nightclub and we could see some of the people waiting to get in?
This play is a captivating comment on fame, music and questioning what it truly means to live. Following the larger than life portrayals of Amy Winehouse (Michelle Schaunaman) and Karen Carpenter (Julia Friedrichsen) outside heaven's party gates, this show discusses those who are now tragically part of the '27 Club' and how the music industry has treated women over the years. It deals with the troubling topics like healthy self-images, self-care, impossible beauty standards and raises the questions of what life is all about. What will we miss after we're gone? And who will remember us?
This show was beautifully acted, and so much of the dialogue carried a lot of weight, especially knowing the true story of these two legendary female musicians and artists. A very touching moment for me was when the women realised they had failed each other across time and hadn't succeeded in making a huge impact to the treatment of women in the music industry. It was a huge problem in their time, and it still is today, so this statement was relatable as ever.
Both women also realised the love of strangers is never enough because they still felt alone in the end. The moments of speaking in unison is divine and is very emotional.
'Close to Black' is a beautiful play that recognises the need for love, acceptance and staying true to yourself. Amazing.

Play 3: Tango-ed Web

"When you're dead, don't come crying back to me!"

First of all, watching a man dressed as a bee chilling on a hammock and shouting "f**k" is everything.
This third play was absolutely hysterical and I loved every moment of it. Who knew a play about the mating rituals of spiders and of bees would be the perfect fuel for comedy?
I particularly enjoyed the scripting of this show as the back and forth banter between the Suitor (Jason Honerman) and the Bee (Curt Campbell) was genius. From the subtle facial expressions to the encouraging gestures, these two were a great double act and I thought that Campbell's Bee character is an absolute gift for this year's Edinburgh Fringe.
Emily S. Davis' Widow was demanding and seductive and complimented this dynamic duo nicely. Her body language and line delivery is everything you could want and more from a woman playing a spider.
The trio really brought the script and the story to life and the puns were funny. It was an absolute joy to watch, and I couldn't stop smiling.
And although no amount of self-help books and podcasts can truly make you feel better, there was a lot of useful advice in this show that really made you reflect on your own life and reminds us that we cannot avoid our destiny.

All three shows were filmed live at the Capitol Theatre, and I loved the costuming and traditional stage sets that complimented each performance perfectly. Brian T. Schultz's direction of Deena M. P. Ronayne's scripts was marvelous, and I would have loved to have seen these in person.
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew on making these three individual and very important plays. 5 stars.