Epic Theatre Company Presents This Is the Future, This Is the Past

This Is the Future, This Is the Past, presented by Epic Theatre Company, is not a play in the traditional sense. Writer/Director Kevin Broccoli has created more than a dozen monologues, all dealing with a common theme: our memories of the past and our fears of the future.

Like any anthology of stories, it’s a very mixed bag. Some are sublime, while others don’t quite connect. One of the more entertaining ones is “The Music You Hear at the End.” Tiffany Fenton describes how the type of life you lead will determine what type of music you will hear when you die. Very unusual and clever at the same time.

“What We Did with the Train Stations,” performed by Mary Beth Kim, is a haunting meditation about how society changes things we tend to hold sacred, such as train stations. “They could take you anywhere,” Kim explains.

Another highlight is “The Summarist,” which features Ashley Moore as a woman who writes movie summaries and is then asked to summarize people’s lives. Moore is a likable and engaging performer and Broccoli provides her with some witty dialogue.

“The Coast of Nevada,” featuring Preston Lawhorne, is about a man who longs for his life in California. Broccoli provides some striking imagery in this story. Lawhorne describes “being 10 feet under water and you don’t know how to swim.”

“And My Husband Jim’s Retired” is about a housewife (Jill D. Jones), who laments her mundane existence. Broccoli’s writing also shines here, as Jones describes the distance she has from her husband, a former astronaut. Stories like this stand out when the characters have relatable human feelings.

Some of the more ethereal stories, such as “Liddy Levitates” and “We Pray to the Giant Face in the Reflecting Pool,” don’t have as much of an impact.

Broccoli’s writing has so much potential that I can hardly wait to see one of the stories turned into a full-length play. Some could easily be expanded for the stage.

Broccoli has assembled a talented cast of performers to tell his tales. Kerry Giorgi, Emily Lewis, Kimball Crossley, Tammy Brown, Terry Simpson, Burr Harrison and Dan Fisher are also part of the ensemble.

Theatergoers looking for something a little bit experimental will be rewarded if they see This Is the Future, This Is the Past.

This Is the Future, This Is the Past runs through March 29 at The Artists Exchange; 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. For tickets go to artists-exchange.org/epictheatrecompany.html or call 401.490.9475; EpicTheatreRI.org