Review: See the Explosive AFTER THE BLAST at Big Idea Theatre

It wasn’t that long ago that novels like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road would have been considered farfetched.  A post-apocalyptic wasteland, previously only imaginable, now seems not only plausible but eventually probable. Zoe Kazan takes it a bit further with her stark rendering of the future of America in the smartly written After the Blast, where survivors don’t have the luxury of wandering a barren and dangerous landscape like McCarthy’s boy and his father. Instead, they are miles beneath the surface of the Earth and, generations later, have no first-hand memory of the world above.

This world has selected who it wants to help re-populate the country when it’s finally safe to emerge by allowing only certain people underground after the apocalypse. Scientists, doctors, and those who can contribute to ensuring survival are those who are chosen to reproduce. Writers, such as Anna (McKenna Sennett), aren’t that important in the fight to keep the human race from becoming extinct. Even though her biological clock is ticking, the powers-that-be won’t approve her for fertility. In this new, dystopian existence, the government decides who can become parents. Her husband, Oliver (Brandon Lancaster), happens to be one of those who are working hard to get everyone back to the surface, giving him some insider perks. One of those happens to be having access to a new helper bot, who Oliver hopes will help Anna overcome her depression. Taking care of the bot, now lovingly named Arthur (Thomas Dean), does indeed give Anna purpose and takes her mind off of being trapped underground. A permanent seasonal affective disorder and vitamin D deficiency have been pesky side effects of never leaving the bowels of the earth, and Anna refuses to partake in the Sims, a virtual reality-type experience courtesy of the chips implanted in everyone’s brain. This is the only way that Earth’s inhabitants can now enjoy a day at the beach, a trip to the Grand Canyon, or even feel the warmth of the sun.

Of course, in this sterile dystopian hellscape of the 33rd Unit of the 9th Division of the American West, disappointment abounds and Anna begins questioning everything she thought she could trust. Betrayed by her government, friends, and husband, she finds herself even more alone in a world where there is no place to be herself. Sennett is phenomenal as Anna, her desperation palpable as she seeks motherhood, sunlight, and validation. Dean breathes quirky and lovable life into Arthur, manipulating the bells and whistles that have been delightfully designed by C. Banks. Lancaster is believable as Oliver, a caring husband who has to hide his own shortcomings in order to take care of everyone else. Rounding out this explosive cast are Mayette McDonald as Carrie, Lee Anthony Williams as Patrick, Jacob Renard as the book-loving Sam, and Beth Anderson as Margarita.

After the Blast is not only entertaining but also an ethics prompt for the contemporary theatregoer. To what degree, if any, should the government have control over the population? Is the future of fertility treatment setting a dangerous precedent? Should humans be able to choose their child’s looks, health, and more?  Are we giving up our humanity if we choose to incorporate technology with our bodies? Most importantly, for me, is life worth living without the smell of a real book?

Explore these questions and more with After the Blast, playing at the Big Idea Theatre through November 25th. Tickets may be found at BigIdeaTheatre.org or by calling (916) 960-3036.

Photo credit: Kaitlin Richards