Review: WHERE WORDS ONCE WERE at The Scoundrel And Scamp Theatre

Where Words Once Were is a dystopian tale told at the Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre. The production has just recently opened, and certainly feels "of the times." Written by Finegan Kruckemeyer and directed by Zac Austin, Where Words Once Were is a beautiful and haunting piece of art that makes you want to look twice. And by that I mean it warrants a second viewing. Austin's sharp direction brings this dystopian world to life with gentle yet purposeful precision. I was surprised by how gentle the world felt, with moments of harshness of course. It felt fully-realized, like a world that one could easily step into.

In Where Words Once Were, residents of The City are only permitted to use 1000 specified words. To do otherwise leads to swift and strict punishment. As someone who is fond of dystopian fiction (much more so than dystopian facts), I ate up every scene in this show and wanted more by the end. Generally speaking I love plays at 90 minutes and musicals at two hours. But I wouldn't have minded a two-hour visit to The City. That's why I say that this one truly merits multiple viewings. There is so much attention to detail onstage that you may see something different on your second pass.

Cristian Javier Barbosa (Orhan) and Xochitl Martinez (Girl) have fantastic chemistry together onstage. Martinez serves as a narrator and also has one of the most heartbreaking plotlines in the show (no spoilers). She is arguably the beating heart of Where Words Once Were and a beacon of hope for a dying society. Erin Amsler (Alli/Eila) is compassionate and quirky all rolled into one. She plays her dual roles perfectly. Taylor Rascher is formidable as the Teacher and also has some surprising moments of comedy.

Tyler Gastelum seems to get better as an artist every time I see him onstage. He also plays dual roles as Isaac and Keiran. Gastelum is funny as Keiran but truly shines as Isaac the Official. Gastelum gives a chilling performance as Isaac that is richly layered and manages to also pull at your heartstrings. This is one of my favorite characters I have seen onstage in recent memory, and it's astounding to me that such a frightening character is also able to evoke more sympathetic emotions. Kudos to the entire cast and crew for breathing life into these fully-formed and truly human characters.

Bryan Rafael Falcón has crafted an absolutely stunning set, which feels like a living and breathing world. The windows, which ascend and descend throughout the play, perfectly convey scenic transitions. Lighting design and projection mapping by Brian McElroy provide excellent compliment and enhancement to the set design. Sound and projection design by Annika Maher are crisp and sharp. I loved seeing letters rearrange on the walls; it was like magic. The talk and visual representations of anagrams and palindromes were delightful and clever. I also appreciated the costume design by Alexia Avey. Lots of thought and care clearly went into these designs.

Where Words Once Were may be a "futuristic fable", but something also feels painfully modern here for reasons I will let the reader deduce. However, the play is full of hope and inspiration, and also has a very gentle touch. Know your kids; my daughter would be fine to see it but this particular story is more appropriate for more mature young audiences. If you have read 1984, Animal Farm, or Farenheit 451, Where Words Once Were is absolutely your cup of tea. Younger audiences may associate it with the more recent Hunger Games series. Go support live theatre. This production is fantastic.