PicksInSix Review: Queen of the Night - Victory Gardens
Restoring the Roots of Familiar Connection
Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder
Welcome to the jungle! Well, the woods, actually, of Victory Gardens’s “Queen of the Night” in the upstairs Richard Christiansen Theater. Like an immersive Universal Studios ride, from the stage manager’s booth to the back wall, the intimate venue is transformed into an elaborate forest. To start, the audience was warmly welcomed back to VG after ‘735 days away’ by effervescent Artistic Director Ken-Matt Martin and Acting Managing Director Roxanna Conner as we enthusiastically hit the camping trail, which was most appropriate for the feel-good story ahead.
Playwright travis tate’s 80-minute family dramedy introduces us to two recognizable characters—the flamboyant gay son and the stoic divorced father—venturing out together into the woods of Texas, looking to heal years of disconnect and divide. However, tate elevates these characters with genuine, shared moments of discovery and expression and authentic dialogue. Even with such humorous shenanigans as wildly warding off bears and fishing for boots, the characters honestly connected throughout. Never are the scenes trite nor are the characters corny. “Queen of the Night” celebrates the universal father-and-son connection with stunning sincerity.
This shining two-hander generously treats us to a course in ‘How to Listen.’ Terry Guest’s energetic Ty is instantly lovable, teetering on the edge of delight and destruction, balancing the dramatic need for self-expression with the fervent desire to reconnect with his father. André Teamer brings a grounded frankness to Ty’s father Stephen, revealing layers of a father’s struggle to break old habits and open himself up to emotional evolution before our very eyes. The pair delivers admirably sincere tactics to hear each other through the thicket of assumption, resentment, and guilt.
Personally, I adore camping, and the theatrical ambience of “Queen of the Night” is pure wilderness. I was immediately transported back to some of my fondest memories of Boy Scout Camp and family vacations. Enhancing the luscious scenery, Martin leaves no emotional stone unturned, filling every corner of the campgrounds with exploration, both external and internal. The characters play throughout the many levels of the set and space, creating a fully dimensional woodland, while their personal discoveries ebb and flow like a charming, trickling river.
The creative team assembled is exceptionally particular. Sydney Lynne’s scenic design is transformational, with meticulous woodland detail. From the luminous tones of daybreak to the chimerical shadow-play of the dangerous darkness of the night, the Sim Carpenter/Connor Sale lighting design is extraordinarily realistic. G Clausen’s sound design only leads us deeper into the woods with creature tones that encompass the entire theater. And the scene change soundtrack is so enjoyable, it should be available for purchase in the lobby!
“Queen of the Night” not only elegantly reminds us to celebrate the connections we have with those we love, but it inspires us to reconnect with those we might have lost along our paths into the woods. Like the heartwarming return of live performance at the historic Biograph Theater, the characters of “Queen of the Night” restore and replenish our faith in the potential for deep, personal connection.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com
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