Ganglia: Instructions for the Symbiogenesis
Went over to Pittsburgh on Sunday to see Peter Roth’s play Ganglia. This is the second time that I’ve been over to Bricolage, the first was for Midnight Radio several years back, which is a really cool experience. Each time I’ve been to Bricolage I’ve been impressed by the quality of the productions they have, as well as the quality of the lobby experience. That’s right. The lobby experience. Each production I’ve been to has interactive “exhibits” in the lobby that engage the audience. This most recent was possibly the most fun I’ve ever had filling out a demographic survey: moving around interacting with various displays.
Peter received a very good reading of his play, which is a quasi-B movie scifi send up of brain-invading parasites, love, and relationships. It is, at base, an examination of human relationships (sexual, friendships), their failings, their triumphs, uncertainties seen through an attempt by aliens to understand and, to some extent, suppress them. Peter is a good playwright, though, and the consideration of these subjects is surprising, funny, and never simplistic or passe. Each character is unique, has a strong voice and purpose, and the play continues to leave me thinking about them.
