TIMELY, INGENIOUS PLAY HITS ITS MARK
Show #12: We’ll Be Better Later Where: Ridgemont High School Director: Jessie Lavallee
Tory Woodhead, Critic Elmwood School
Ping! You hurriedly look for your phone. What was it? A text? A Snap? An Instagram comment? A Twitter notification? You search and search and you cannot find it. And then you remember you are in rehab for your internet addiction. For six teens, this horrifying tale is a reality. In Ridgemont High School’s production of Laura Jacqmin’s We’ll Be Better Later, this timely cyber comedy was brought to life.
At a rehabilitation centre for teenagers obsessed with the internet, things are what you would expect: Boring. The prisoners, however, are anything but that. There are the twins, Brianna and Beatrice, two soccer fanatic sisters who cannot live without their Manchester United stats; Fiona, a girl of coarse character who is obsessed with an online role play game; Sari, a girl obsessed with everything Japan; and Maycayla, the shy one of the bunch, who would rather talk to people online than IRL (in real life).
Every day, this eclectic group is cooped up and ordered around by a stern General and his Minion, who both insist that the teens pedal their addictions away, until Lauren walks on the scene and everything changes. Lauren, a boy obsessed with algebra, decides to start a revolution against the tyrannical General, and with the help of the other prisoners, maybe, just maybe, they will finally get their phones back.
Ridgemont High School portrayed this hyper relevant piece with effortless poise and grace. Although only a cast of eight, every member’s stage presence and talent was enough to fill the whole auditorium.
Johnny Ramsay shone as Lauren, perfectly embodying the awkward character with ease and ingenuity. Even when he did not speak, his stage presence was undeniable. From frog puns to his crazy dance moves, when he was on stage, hilarity ensued.
Gabriela Cubar stunned as the shy Maycayla. With her body
language and constant movement, her performance seemed natural. She gracefully assumed this quiet role, but through her portrayal, her character was never stuck in the shadows. This performance was enhanced by the minimalist set comprised of a few tables, chairs, and rust-stained walls. The set perfectly depicted stereotypical prison-like conditions and brought the story to life. The stage crew also added to the show. Each member of the stage crew was wearing janitor-like jumpsuits to make them seem like a part of the detention centre itself. The stage crew was able to seamlessly transition between scenes, and the sound and lighting crew were always right on cue. This timely play was so entertaining that I didn’t even check my cellphone once.