Review: NO EXIT at Fusion Theatre

Fusion Theatre Company's existentialist drama No Exit debuted this month at at The Theater at 244 in New York City.

The story revolves around three people, Garcin (Brian Heuer), Estelle (Maria Swisher), and Inez (Eilin O'Dea), who are trapped in a small room together and don't know why.

What they do know is all three are dead and somehow have been placed in hell together. As they wait for the "torturer" to appear and do them physical harm, each of their life stories begin to unravel, revealing a sour interior of cowardice, deceit, and murder. During this time, the three also realize that the hell pop culture has portrayed with red devil horns and hot flames, is nothing compared to the real thing. Hell is none of those things. Instead, it is more about the other people you are forced to be around for eternity.

What's unique about the play is the prologue of operatic arias, ranging from a powerful opera to a misguided anthem, all with the help of a talented pianist.

Each song is said to represent the character's transformation from the real world to the spiritual, or in the case, into hell. The singing is impressive, especially the "Sola, Perduta Abbandonata" sung by Inez, and more of it would have been welcomed throughout the production.

No Exit is running from April 5th-20th at The Theater at 244.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Slaff