Productions by the Axis Company can confidently be relied upon to have atmospheric moodiness. Written and directed by Randy Sharp, Strangers in the World imagines a time when New England was being colonized by puritans. In 1613, a small group arrives and builds a poorly constructed village near the shoreline. Years pass and the remaining survivors seem to be going mad with grief, starvation and hopelessness. A plan is voted upon to head south with their remaining possessions in search of a chance for a better life.
The setting for this play is a cold forest. The supply of food is dwindling. Clipped, bitter and angry conversations between these colonists suggest life’s pressures have overwhelmed their ability to cope. All the children are dead. The vision of creating a model society devoted to godliness has long been determined a failure. These puritans wear their devoutness like a shield of battle armor, however.
A visitor arrives on the shoreline apparently alone, his boat sunk to the bottom of the sea. In stark contrast to their dark brown attire, his lightly colored clothing is tattered. Should they be suspicious of him or not? Are more boats coming to save them? Might they be able to return home? What about the plan to travel south, even though the city is likely a godless place?
From this outline, Strangers in the World swirls around like a cyclone revealing these character’s inner turmoils which are no longer invisible underneath their religious piety. Their shields are fragile. Madness is evident. Sexual repression and murderous thoughts cannot be contained. The interesting conflict here is the juxtaposition of idealized puritanical values and morals set against the harshness of failure and desperation.
Additional subplots emerge which enhance the claustrophobia of people trapped in their lives. Is this new visitor a savior or a devil? The imagery and various meanings in this play prompt good post-theater conversation. The structure is far from linear and can be repetitive in depicting madness verging on hysteria. The entire cast nicely embodies these frighteningly damaged souls and allows us to see them as different individuals caught in a collective nightmare.
As previously mentioned, there is an abundance of atmospheric moodiness in this production. The theme of repression peppers the entire play. There are moments where I feared the story was dangerously approaching caricature. In the end, however, the theatrical risk taking pays off. This unusual play can be recommended for adventurous theatergoers who enjoy filling in the details.
Imagine traveling to a new world and failing to survive. Spouses and children are dead. The food is scarce. A blinding devotion to questionable dogma. The fear of the unknown crippling any chance to find a better life. Quite a bit of emotional ground is covered through these irreparately damaged souls. What does abject terror do to people? Strangers in the World suggests that darkness within the human soul is inescapably pervasive no matter how tight one clings to their god.
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