My overall impression
A good, visceral, story by Noel Olken. I think it’s tough in general to sink into one man shows, but Noel does a great job of really making his journey and environments tangible and engaging through good use of lighting, sound, props, action and staging. Condolences to Jeff Gardner’s sound design, which was a major aspect to making this piece work so well.
For the majority of the show, the audience acts as a friend sitting across a camp fire as Noel tells engaging stories that would be typical for a night out in the woods. I could practically smell the smoke from the campfire as Noel topped off another one of his stories with a little whisky and some wowie. Then, just when it feels like we might pass out by the fire right next to him, he calls it a night, hops in the tent he has literally pitched up on stage, and wakes up the next morning to some unexpected days in the lone wilderness… including a shockingly prevalent ending I never could have saw coming.
Party wacky, part intense. This is a fun little piece, and a great show to catch in between shows if you’re feeling up to a refreshing, engaging excursion into the forest.
