Review: HEIST at Arizona Theatre Company

Arizona Theatre Company’s HEIST, directed with style and clockwork precision by Matt August, is the kind of production that reminds you how elastic the boundaries of live theatre can be. Arun Lakra’s fast-moving whodunnit doesn’t just borrow the language of cinema; it translates it fluently into the mechanics of staging, combining performance, technology, and timing to create a high-stakes mystery. The script thrives on surprises and revelations as scenes unfold between timelines, continually challenging the audience to reassess what it thinks it knows.

At the center of the operation is Matthew Floyd Miller as Marvin, the mastermind behind a scheme to retrieve the legendary Satoshi Diamond from a rival named Spider, who previously stole it and left a fake. Miller’s delivery is crisp, and in a play built on misdirection, his motivations remain deliberately opaque.

Marvin’s crew is a collection of sharply defined characters. Jessica Fishenfeld’s Angie brings athleticism and emotional clarity to a role that could easily drift into stereotype. Ethan Henry’s Kruger is volatile, a presence perpetually on the edge of chaos. Brandon Ruiter’s Ryan is smooth and likable, seemingly romantically involved with Angie, although subtle cues suggest duplicity. Jynx Zavala’s Fiona, the team’s hacker, radiates quiet authority, intelligence, and dry wit. Valerie Perri’s Spider serves as the story’s wild card. She enters with a stylized Eastern European accent that recalls the theatrical camp of Natasha Fatale and the playful menace of Dr. Evil.

Much of HEIST’s impact comes from its technical design. Sven Ortel’s projections are integral to the storytelling, functioning as memory, misdirection, and momentum. The visuals evoke comic-book panels and biometric character profiles familiar from action franchises like Mission: Impossible and X-Men. Mike Billings’s lighting complements the projections, sculpting the stage with laser fields and stark contrasts between shadow and light, creating a cinematic experience without overshadowing the performers.

At times, the plot’s density and rapid transitions may be taxing, but these are minor quibbles in a production fully aware of its ambitions. HEIST is a tightly orchestrated cerebral thrill ride that entertains and surprises, demonstrating that live theatre can rival the kinetic energy of film. It keeps the audience leaning forward, eyes alert, waiting for the next revelation.

HEIST runs through January 25th at:

Tempe Center for the Arts -- https://atc.org/ -- 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ --  1-833-ATC-SEAT

Photo credit to Tim Fuller – L to R: Jessica Fishenfeld, Jynx Zavala, Matthew Floyd Miller, Ethan Henry, Brandon Ruiter