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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Next Fall Also see Gil's reviews of Les Misérables: School Edition and Dial M for Murder
Adam and Luke are a couple who have been together for several years despite vast differences in their religious beliefs. Adam, a cynical atheist, struggles to understand Luke's unwavering Christian beliefs, particularly Luke's certainty that Adam's soul is in jeopardy due to his lack of faith. When Luke is involved in a life-threatening accident, Adam finds himself in a hospital waiting room with Luke's deeply religious parents and two of their friends and is forced to confront his own feelings about love, faith and acceptance. The play skillfully interweaves flashbacks that show the progression of Adam and Luke's relationship with the present-day hospital scenes, building tension as the past and present collide and truths are revealed. The characters in Next Fall are each unique. Director Mark-Alan C. Clemente has assembled a fantastic cast of well-known local actors who all bring gravitas and emotion to their roles. Adam is a complex character and Seth Tucker brings a perfect combination of vulnerability, uncertainty, and wit as Adam wrestles with his own insecurities and conflicting feelings about faith, making his journey engaging and relatable. Luke, on the other hand, is written as warm and optimistic. Spencer Shaw beautifully captures the innocence, hopefulness, and conviction of this young man who truly believes in redemption and a higher power. As Luke's divorced parents, Christi Sweeney and Scott Hyder beautifully create characters who are layered and nuanced. Sweeney as Luke's mother, Arlene, is a lovely combination of quirkiness and emotion, which brings a lovely sense of lightness to the tense moments in the play. Sweeney's realistic portrayal allows us to see how Arlene is forced to balance her love for her son with her discomfort regarding his sexuality. As Luke's father Butch, Hyder is appropriately rigid and traditional, and his disapproval of Luke's lifestyle is evident. However, Hyder also allows us to effectively see the internal struggle Butch has between a father's love and his inability to accept his son's choices fully. Andrea Hough is bright and warm as Holly, Adam's friend and confidante. Hough brings a lively energy and moments of humor to the production. As Brandon, Luke's devout Christian friend, Mitchell Glass, does well in providing added tension with his silent disapproval of aspects of Adam and Luke's relationship. Nauffts has written well-crafted characters and under Clemente's direction, the cast captures the subtleties and depth of their roles with natural chemistry that adds complex emotions and conflict to the story while also creating moments that feel both intimate and realistic. Clemente also ensures that the weighty themes are delivered with authenticity and sensitivity. I only had a small quibble in one humorous moment when Hough eats noodles out of a Chinese food take out container as, while it's a funny moment, it pulls your focus from the serious conversation that Adam and Luke are having. Also, despite the strong performances and engaging characters, Next Fall has some shortcomings in how it explores the various themes it focuses on. While it raises thought-provoking questions about love, faith and acceptance, it occassionally skirts around what could have been deeper, more nuanced discussions of the topics it presents, leaving some themes feeling somewhat underdeveloped. There are also a few antisemitic and racist comments that Luke's parents make that just seem shoe-horned into the script in order to make us have negative views of the characters when the way they are written already lets us understand they have their shortcomings. Additionally, the play's conclusion feels somewhat abrupt without offering any substantial insight into the complex issues it tackles. While this may be intentional, aiming to reflect life's ambiguity, it may also leave audiences wanting a more definitive emotional payoff or message. While I have a few small quibbles with the play, Next Fall at Order Chaos is an extremely well acted and thought provoking drama that successfully highlights the tension between love and faith and the conflict between personal beliefs and loyalty to a friend. While it may not fully resolve all of its complex themes, the engaging performances and emotional depth make it a worthwhile experience that will most likely make you reflect on your own beliefs. Next Fall, an Order Chaos Theater Company, runs through November 17, 2024, at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe Street, Phoenix AZ. For tickets and information, please visit https://www.orderchaostheater.org. Director: Mark-Alan C. Clemente Cast: |
