The Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) is presenting a play conceived and directed by Jaron Aviv Hollander titled “War of the Worlds 2023: A Servant of Two Networks,” lightly based on the 1897 science fiction novel “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells and the 1746 Italian comedy “The Servant of Two Masters.” It is an entertaining and provocative piece laden with satire and serious moments alike, incorporating themes ranging from sexuality to sensationalism through the use of improvisation as a backbone to heighten the play’s absurdity.
The Artistic Director of the CRT, Megan Monaghan Rivas, prefaced the performance by reminding the audience that this was the crew’s “final rehearsal and their first performance,” presumably to suggest that all would not go exactly as planned during the play’s two-and-a-half hour runtime. However, any mistakes were hardly noticeable due to the improvised nature of many segments. This allowed the actors to play off them in the moment and even make light of them. Rivas also explained that there would be plenty of obscenities, which most certainly manifested, making the play all the more fun.
The play stars Alex Winnick as Ichabod Sacchetti (a name which I will not shorten), who begins as an unpaid intern for the fictional news network, MSCBD. Leading this news network is Mumu Griffin the Third, played by Weimy Montero Candelario, and the broadcasts of her network and the rivaling Dog News are puppeteered by Jerry Harner, Mel Carter and Thomas Tuke. The General and the Lieutenant are respectively played by Charles Rusciano and Carlos Fruzetti, while the scientists are played by Annie Tolis and Kaitlyn Oliva. Each of these cast members had moments of their own to shine on stage and interact with the audience.
“War of the Worlds 2023” is a play of the people. The front rows of the audience were often called upon to be the camera operators of the news broadcasts, and the cast members themselves would occasionally sit with the audience during scripted bits. At one point, an audience member was called onto the stage to have his stomach rubbed while encircled by the rest of the cast members… it’s hard to explain.
If you couldn’t tell, I do not want to spoil the plot of the play for those who have not watched it yet, but even if you have, there are reasons to return. Hollander suggests how the jokes evolve night-by-night, so you will not watch an identical play two nights in a row. For example, Mumu claimed an audience member to be her mother, leading to comedic moments, but this person may have not been present in the next performance, forcing the improv to change. The final days of the performance are approaching, so you could have the chance to see the play in its prime!
I must compliment the cast’s excellent use of the stage and the surrounding areas. During the exposition, there was hardly anything on stage besides the characters, reeling full attention to them. When props were needed, they were used and promptly removed to shift the audience’s focus back to the cast. They also utilized the areas above and below the main turf section of the stage during some chasing sequences to create an immersive experience. Additionally, the aliens that were featured in the second half were creatively made if you saw them in action.
As with many plays of this style, there are plenty of references to the real world. Ichabod always claims he wants a sandwich from Joey Garlic’s, an Italian chain with a location in Manchester, to curb his hunger pangs. More fitting mentions are those of Elon Musk, Apple and cable news networks such as MSNBC and Fox News, as these are the people and corporations that control mass media and sensationalize it, which was a main conflict in the play.
Tickets start at $10 and are still on sale for the final nights of the performance on CRT’s website!