TROMPE-LA-MORT, OR GORIOT IN THE 21st CENTURY by Anthony MacMahon. Factory Studio. Aug 5 at 9 pm, Aug 7 at 7:15 pm, Aug 8 at 6 pm, Aug 9 at 10:30 pm, Aug 13 at 8 pm, Aug 14 at 4:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NNN
Playwright Anthony MacMahon adapts Balzac’s novel Le Père Goriot, setting it slightly in the future. The story follows an ambitious group of tech industry friends looking to create and sell the next big app. Bleak yet insightful, the script explores the political and social impacts of technology.
The play opens with a strong scene in which Delphine (Farah Merani) tries to convince wealthy investor Barry (Lindsay Owen Pierre) to back her financially. It’s funny and flirty but goes on too long, a recurring problem with later scenes, too. The production is well cast, but Merani and Mark Crawford stand out playing characters struggling with moral and ethical issues.
Director Ted Witzel keeps the pace quick and uses the space well. The production has a cool, modern feel thanks to Anahita Dehbonehie’s set made of hanging plastic boards which double as screens for projections.
