Guest Review of “She Kills Monsters”

Guest Review of She Kills Monsters

Siblings can be annoying. But when your sister creates a game where mythical monsters chase you all over a treacherous journey to fight a five-headed dragon, she might have gone a bit too far. In this performance of the Young Adventurers Edition of  She Kills Monsters , Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts put on a truly magical show with some poignant messages that left the audience thinking.

 

Agnes (Rhiannon Turner) is just a regular girl. After facing the tragedy of her sister, Tilly s (Sarah Jones), death, all she wants to do is be regular again. However, she finds a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that Tilly once created, and she decides to play it in order to get to know her sister better. Guided by the nerdy hand of Dungeon Master Chuck Biggs (Max Wolf), Agnes begins her journey through her sister s map. She soon discovers, however, that the game is not a game, but a diary of Tilly s struggles and emotions set to a fantasy background. Patapsco High School provided an emotional and exciting performance of this journey to victory and closure.

 

The tale of redemption is led by the powerful performances of Sarah Jones and Max Wolf, playing Tilly and Chuck, respectively. These two act as the guides for Agnes on her journey to find her sister and inner peace. Jones played the role superbly, embodying the strong, yet slightly insecure nature of Tilly, or her mystical alter ego, Tillius. She possessed a tone that allowed the audience to understand the complex problems of this young girl, and her struggle to stay upbeat and strong throughout them. Wolf, on the other hand, provided a wonderful, funny performance as the quirky Chuck, keeping the show funny in times of sadness and never losing energy. Patasco High School highlighted their talented performers through their dynamic acting talent.

 

The cast as whole came together to form a tight-knit family of performers on the stage, creating believable bonds between characters that were emphasized in their well-executed emotional scenes. The cast appeared to have Agnes  back as she navigated the delicate process of finding her sister in death, making the show one to remember.

 

A Dungeons and Dragons game depends on technical creativity in order to be truly excellent, much like Patapsco High School s performance of  She Kills Monsters . Sound Board Operator Ndidi Chimah had the incredibly difficult job of correctly timing the action sound effects during the fight scenes, but she executed it perfectly, giving the fights a nearly professional feel. Light Designer and Operator Zach Rupp created a haunting environment with his light show that juxtaposed the real life scenarios with the magical moments very well. The show was distinguished by its strong technical foundation.

 

Although Agnes lost her sister, she will never forget the lessons she learned from her. Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts created a memorable performance of  She Kills Monsters , emphasizing family and loss, and left a truly fantastical impression.

 

 

by Luke Scaletta of Loyola Blakefield