Th*ir*ds is a clever title for this sprawling, somewhat convoluted, ultimately important performance; it describes America as an “Alliance of American States” divided, after the South seceded in the 1860s into the Union, the Confederacy, and the West. In creators Deborah Aquila and Ben Edlin’s minds, this situation sets up an ultimate confrontation, built quite plausibly around the universal need for clean water.
While we may wonder about the divided stage we see before us at the start, the narrative begins with a filmic scene in a farm house where we are graphically introduced to the South’s biggest problem: dangerous levels of poison in the water supply. The family (Tess Harrison and Eanna O’Dowd as the Todds) valiantly struggles to protect their children, using whatever tools the Confederacy provides. Interestingly, they ae being furtively interviewed on film by an outside film crew.
But then, the wheeling and dealing begins. The staged scenes of negotiation are riveting.
Ben Edlin, also the playwright, plays David Cohen, half of the team sent to negotiate with Southern officials over water enhancements. His partner, Catherine Shephard (Corbin Read), owns a water treatment company that can save Southern populations from certain death. Cohen meets with a representative, Steven Choi (Brian Yeun), in a well-played scene, but soon, a more sinister Confederate operative (Carlo Mancasola as James Cross) comes to the fore.
Director Jessica Aquila energizes the disparate onstage vignettes as the true dimensions of a problematic tripartite America grow more dangerous. The simple, side-by-side scenes provide for more fluid movement, but there are moments when we’re not sure exactly which setting we’re supposed to be watching, and area lighting doesn’t always encompass the entirety of the small spaces. Also, the filmic portions are not clearly defined within the timeline, however touching the information they impart. But, as the narrative threads tighten to the final showdown, the sense of our present-day “what-ifs” take on a more and more urgent importance. Ultimately, we are left with David Cohen as hostage in an enigmatic ending.
Perhaps, this presentation will energize its audiences to take our upcoming election more seriously.
Th*ir*ds continues at the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm; 2pm Sundays through September 29, 2024. All tickets, $35. Make reservations at https://thirdstheplay.com
