By George Dixon
I attended The Aevum Valley without knowing anything about it; I was interested in experiencing this play without any preconceived ideas. I allowed the experience to absorb and surround me from the moment I arrived.
As you arrive, you are presented with an open stage that is in darkness except for two rows of lightened hurricane lamps – three lamps on the left and four lamps on the right.
There are two different 1970s-style televisions with the name of the play frozen on a screen with, typical for the time, a horizontal scrolling black line.
The background music was a random selection of 1970s top number-one hits.
A voice-over starts with a traditional acknowledgment of country and a string of parental warnings and wellness cautions.
A brief overview focusing on a mysterious yet shocking event that happened some time ago, the recovery of various items, including a partly salvaged video of the events, sets the scene for this one-hour play in the genre of horror with occultist overtones.
You are transported to 1970 something, into the woods with a group of devoted cultists in the middle of a quest to find the secret to everlasting life.
Each character chooses a Taro card that depicts a single word, which becomes their own identity quest. The true meaning of each word is cleverly exposed as the twist, or re-focusing, of the word’s meaning becomes deadly and sinister.
For instance, May the Navigator, played by Louisa Cusumano, is also tagged as “The Chosen One”, and so she is leading the group using a map that is insufficient for the task, yet she is still the chosen one but chosen for what is the underlying question.
Tom Weinert, Writer, Director, and Sound Designer, has skilfully developed this original play in a style that pays tribute to the 1970s B-grade Horror tradition, mixed in with some slightly dated video effects via the use of the historical film that is found at the site. The use of the video not only sets the tone but also enhances suspense and mystery.
To further punctuate the time frame, the complete play is performed in the University play format. This allows for its unique timing, dialogue and stage directions, particularly when the cast is wandering through the forest.
The clever use of light, shadowing, special effects, thunder and lightning draws the audience into the journey and story.
The play takes a bit of time to warm up, with some distractions between the videotape, which is very useful and a similar action re-enactment of the tape on stage at the same time.
The third act, which fills in the missing details from the historical tape, is full of action that is well directed and choreographed, the synchronization between dialogue, action, thunder and lightning all coming together as a master class for others.
The cast, Sacha Brown, Laura the Leader, Melanie Tsimbas, Jane the Skeptic.
Jay Gold Axle the Sadist, Stella Heard Fiona the Oracle/Cervus Deus.
Rouzbeh Nadjar Ben the Survivalist and Stella Klironomakis UMA the Heretic along with
Louisa Cusumano May the Navigator; are all well cast, with Laura and Jane looking like sisters and the others projecting a balance of diversity.
Their presentations bring the characters to life, particularly as the atmosphere begins to change from what seems to be a lost quest to something more serious. I also enjoyed the facial and body language that starts with, What are we doing? Why are we here? This is a stupid quest. To the high pitch and emotional frenzy as the horror unfolds to its messy conclusion.
The final scene draws everything together nicely, though its occultist conclusion, the quest for everlasting life is achieved, perhaps not as expected or envisioned.
Weinert composed the play with the intent of raising the audience’s senses as they journey with the cast through the play.
Its design is to evoke curiosity about the mystery and to open up discussions about what has just happened. The ending and preceding scenes provide opportunities for discussions and more.
