FUTURE IMPERFECT // A THEATRE REVIEW OF "ALMA BAYA"
Somewhere in a far off (or perhaps not too far off) future we meet two women: Alma and Baya. They live inside a pod made for two people to exist in. The planet they live on has no oxygen and they simply exist and do as they're told. They don't know how or why their planet is why it is and why there can only be two people in their Pod. They've never met anyone else. But they know that's what they've been told, and they've been told it in very specific language. They have a manual that they have to live by and they don't dare to question it or who is pulling the strings or who even controls the food they are supplied. One day, another woman shows up and tells them the she is the sole survivor from another Pod and immediately their entire existence that they know is tossed upside down.
Writer/Director Edward Einhorn has crafted a very mysterious absurdist sci-fi for the stage with ALMA BAYA. Any information that's given is spilled out very slowly, keeping not only the circumstances of Alma and Baya a mystery but also who exactly the stranger is. Einhorn's production has cast two different casts, playing alternating performances as a COVID precaution. The evening I saw was Cast B, featuring Maggie Cino as Alma, JaneAnne Halter as Baya and Nina Mann as The Stranger. It seems clear that there's some sort of unknown experiment going on, but none of them are quite aware of it.
Cino and Halter are both fantastic as the two original Pod members, playing their characters very differently. Cino's Alma is rigid and all-business. There's an order to things and they must keep the order. She's also very much against sharing her food for any reason. Halter's Baya is much softer and easily controlled by Alma. Cino brings a charging power to the role, shrewdly taking control of every situation that works in her best interest. Halter brings an innocent charm to her role, showcasing a curiosity and innocence that fits perfectly against Cino's more controlling spin. Lastly, Halter gives a powerful performance as The Stranger. She's mysterious and fiery, asking all the questions that Alma and Baya don't bother to. Einhorn directs his sharp script with a skillful touch, truly making the evening and eerie experience. ALMA BAYA marks a triumphant return to live performance, one that takes patience and focus and rewards you with an exhilarating evening out at the theatre. A must-see.
GRADE: A
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Edward Einhorn STARRING (CAST B) Maggie Cino, JaneAnne Halter, Nina Mann. CAST A STARS Anne Marie Yoo, Rivera Reese, Sheleah Harris. PLAYING NOW THROUGH AUGUST 28TH AT A.R.T./NY AND AVAILABLE TO STREAM ONLINE. FOR TICKETS: ALMA BAYA