In Other Words invites the audience into the inner workings of Maya’s mind; she is extremely fascinated by language, and it feels as though you have climbed into the mind and watching her brain unravel the thoughts around you. She explores the idea that words hold a significance beyond their definitions and questioning whether if thoughts, emotions, and experiences exist beyond the boundaries of language and spoken word.
The audience is guided through several different chapters throughout this play while Maya is searching for these “other words”, the words that haven’t been created or grazed by anyone’s thoughts. The show embraces the theatrical nature; one minute its Maya, then suddenly transforming into a game show host and shifting in between realities while the music and audio illustrate the transition from place to place in her mind.
As you near the end of the play, the production takes a dramatic twist, almost as a voice of opposition in her own mind; this section of the play challenges her to create new profound words and forces her to confront whether these discoveries even matter. Playing the antagonist is a voice that recurs whenever Maya reaches a mental crossroads in her own mind.
This show is chaotic (in a great way) and held together by a confident and emotionally sincere central performance. The actress showcases real talent and impressive control while she switches between different personas. Leaving the show, you are questioning whether some thoughts or words are powerful or simply remain unanswered and perhaps impossible to discover.
In Other Words, 16:00, at Just The Attic at Just The Tonic at The Mash House, at 4pm from August 6-30
