IN CLOSE QUARTERS: A Story of Love and War
Silver venue, find showtimes
While it may be safe to say that almost any show Michael Wanzie puts on is worth seeing, you won’t want to miss going to see this one—simply because it could easily win this year’s “Best Show” award or “Best Drama” award.
Many associate Wanzie shows with comedic plotlines, musical parodies or over-the-top productions, but IN CLOSE QUARTERS: A Story of Love and War breaks that mold, and it does it in all the best ways. There were gasps and plenty of tears shed from the audience.
The show takes place during the Vietnam War, where two soldiers are held up in an underground bunker for weeks after nearly escaping an attack. As the two hide underground and time passes, the production explores the layers of the human psyche by exploring a variety of emotions, prejudices and views about war, love, being gay, tolerance and life.
Both actors — Zachary Lane who plays Matthew and Harrison Flanders who plays James — do an amazing job in allowing their characters to not only connect with the audience but the story as it progressed. As Lane’s character comes out to Flanders, we watch as both characters develop throughout this 90-minute production, evolving their previous views.
The program also mentions how all the stage props, scenery and costumes are from Vietnam and were provided by Heritage Antiques & Militaria. So while the set may have been simple, it was authentic and did well in honoring the recreation of those yesteryears.
I am a huge lover of the show “M.A.S.H.” because of how it picked an unconventional way of looking at the Korean War. And while this play takes place during different war (Vietnam War), it is similar in the sense where it shows you another side of wartime and how it takes its toll on the people in it and those who know people involved.
The beginning of the show is scenes of silence, which lasts for almost 10 minutes and pushed it a bit. And while this show is a more serious drama penned by Wanzie, it is still dotted with his usual gay, or how the play refers to it as “queer,” humor for comic relief throughout the production, revlieving some of the dramatic tension. I would suggest getting your tickets early because I can see most of IN CLOSE QUARTERS shows selling out.
Kudos to the rest of the production team — Richard Kuntz, Douglas White, Chris Yakubchik (director) and Rich Charron.
And let’s not spoil it by simply saying: The twist will leave you walking out of the Silver Venue thinking and talking about the show for the rest of the evening.
Read all of Watermark’s coverage of the 2016 Orlando Fringe Theatre Festival here.
