Review: AN ISOLATED INCIDENT at TAFE-Theatre Arts For Everyone

An Isolated Incident is a delightful who-done-it. And Then There Were None for the Zoom era, An Isolated Incident is written and directed by Paige Hoke for Theatre Arts for Everyone (TAFE) based in York, PA. This murder mystery presents the audience with classic questions: Who is the mysterious host? What is the catch to this game where someone can win a million dollars? How are guests dying when it appears that they are alone in their rooms? What secrets are the guests hiding? Who will survive?

The cast and crew of TAFE's production have utilized technology to bring their performance to life in this new time of online creative content. The show is written to take place in separate rooms, so it feels very natural to watch it on Zoom. The use of rooms in their own houses and Zoom backgrounds helps the audience see clearly where the characters are, which adds to the suspense created by the fact that most of the characters are alone in their own space the entire time.

The cast includes actors from all over the country. Matthew Lee, MaryAnn Hoke, Rachel Diamond, and Debbie Donovan portray the staff responsible for running the household during the host's game. The staff prove to be just as interesting as the guests, and the actors do a wonderful job at developing these characters and bringing out nuances that lead the audience down various paths of speculation. Lee and Hoke give their characters a sense of gravity, propriety, and unflappability. Diamond's Hettie Winters is captivating in her desperation, while Donovan's Clementine is delightfully comedic.

The guests include a varied group. Married couple Andrew and Jewel Joseph are convincingly played by Kevin Allen and Laura-Scott Wise. Author Vivian Amberly is portrayed by Namita Vikal, who brings out the author's desire to recapture her fame while pretending that she never lost it to begin with. Fashion designer Gia Huxley, played by Priscilla Jarrell, comes across as cunning and intelligent. Priscilla McFerren takes on the role of heiress Veronica Bristow, a woman who clearly has some secrets to hide. Madeline Lee portrays gamer Poppy Campbell as aggressively competitive with a thirst to win. Cory Tippett, son of famous actors and sometime-model, is played by Alex Bitzer, who infuses the character with a laid-back charm. Wendee Lewis rounds out the list of guests as Danielle Harker, the down to earth investigator seeking the truth.

The key to a great online production is being able to engage the audience in a tiny box through facial expressions. The cast of An Isolated Incident does not disappoint. Their reactions come across as natural, and they are able to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as they try to figure out what is going on in this sinister game in which they find themselves.

The first two parts of the show premiered on August 21 and August 28, respectively. The final part of the show will be available on September 4. By performing the show in three different parts, playwright/director Hoke hopes to further engage audiences by encouraging them to discuss the story on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or the YouTube comments section using #TAFEWhoDoneIt. Many of our theatres are experimenting with online content, recognizing that the arts are needed during these isolating and difficult times. TAFE's An Isolated Incident is a terrific example of the creativity and resilience of the artistic community.

Don't miss out on this intriguing and well-performed show! Ticket holders will be able to view all three parts of An Isolated Incident as well as the program through September 10. Visit https://tafepa.org/current-season for more information about An Isolated Incident and upcoming shows.

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