Review: Cristin Milioti Makes An Unusual Emotional Connection in Zoe Kazan's AFTER THE BLAST

As societies in post-apocalyptic stories go, the one envisioned by playwright Zoe Kazan in her insightful relationship drama After the Blast, seems to have it pretty good.

At least, on the surface, so to speak.

With their predecessors forced underground, unable to survive in the ruins of a planet depleted of its natural resources, couples lIke Oliver and Anna (William Jackson Harper and Cristin Milioti) live in sleek, efficient apartments decorated with a limited number of personal knick-knacks. (The spartan comfort is designed by Daniel Zimmerman.)

Water, food and other necessities are rigidly rationed but thanks to a chip implanted into everyone and the use of sims, which replicate pleasures like the taste of a great meal, the warmth of sunshine or a basic feeling of happiness and contentment, it's not so bad.

Being a scientist who is working toward the eventual repopulation of the planet's surface, Oliver is a great proponent for these life-improving enhancements.

Not so, however, for Anna, who rejects the artificial world. A former journalist who got sick of producing puff pieces valued by the number of clicks they receive, Anna is battling depression, fueled by a longing to find a new purpose in life and the couple's failing attempts to gain permission to have a child.

To control the use of limited resources, prospective parents have five chances to prove themselves genetically and mentally worthy of being approved for fertility. (It's unclear whether or not pregnancy is biologically possible without this permission and, if it is, what happens if a renegade couple conceives without it.) Anna's depression is standing in the way of approval. Her husband insists that if she were allowed to have a baby, she'd no longer be depressed.

And after this is all established, we're introduced to Arthur, a cute, fuzzy robot that Oliver explains is one of many created as companions to the growing number of blind children that have evolved from generations of living out of sunlight. As a volunteer project, they're to interact with Arthur and teach him enough about the world to be a responsible guardian.

With her husband away at work all day, Anna grumbles that she's the one who'll be taking on the bulk of the volunteering, but it isn't long before her maternal desires refocus themselves on establishing a relationship with the object that, like a child, develops into a reflection of herself.

Created from a visual concept by Noah Mease and voiced by actor Will Connolly, Arthur, while claiming no emotions, wins over Anna's affection, asking numerous questions about her world with a naïve warmth.

And even with Kazan's text leaning heavily on the human side, it's to Milioti's credit that she's never upstaged by this loveable piece of stagecraft. Under the direction of Lila Neugebauer, her wonderfully textured performance shows a person finding elusive joy by connecting with "someone" who she feels she can be completely herself with.

As the play progresses, issues of marital trust enter the picture, as it turns out Oliver, as both a requirement of his job and in his attempt to rid her of depression, has not been completely honest with Anna. In a sense, he's been providing emotional sims to protect her from reality.

Harper's sympathetic Oliver is sweet and affectionate, but, in their relationship, more goal-oriented than communicative. When Anna confronts him for his actions, he's truly sorry but still has no idea what he did wrong.

And what began as another cautionary dystopian tale, cleverly draws the audience into a touching story of trying to find something real while surrounded by life's artificial sweeteners.

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