Boasting an impressive list of mid-’90s music and plenty of geek culture nostalgia, Qui Nguyen’s She Kills Monsters (directed by Lisa Morse, playing at the College of Marin through May 18) is a warm-hearted romp through grief and acceptance.
The story follows Agnes (Paige Flaming), trying to find a connection to her deceased sister, Tilly (Arya Safavi), through a custom Dungeons & Dragons campaign written by Tilly. Agnes is guided through the campaign by her sister’s dungeon master friend, Chuck, aka DM Biggs (Karim Al-Jamal). Reality and fantasy start to blur as she learns more about her sister’s world, threatening Agnes’ real-world relationships.
Set and props (both by Huda Al-Jamal) are colorfully spectacular, especially for being in the small studio theater. Particularly impressive are the puppets, which come into their own during the final scene.
The cast is at its strongest when in the fantasy world. Safavi portrays Tilly with an earnest fierceness that immediately engages the audience. Flaming comes off as a little one-note. But considering that the character is written as “the most normal person ever,” it would be hard to add range to the character. Jonathan Lazzerini’s Steve is a scene stealer who does a very believable job switching between an inept sorcerer and the awkward teenager. However, the standout performance is Al-Jamal’s Chuck.
Being the only character that is never a part of the D&D fantasy, Al-Jamal captures the big silliness necessary. Yet, of all the actors, he remains the most grounded in his character and delivers some of the most impactful moments in the play.
Yes, some moments of depth are glossed over, the momentum isn’t consistent and some special vocal effects are hard to understand (though a very cool idea). Still, the show is beautifully fun, and the artists are obviously engaged in the story. In the end, it would be almost impossible to leave this show without a smile. It’s a shame that even in the studio theater, there were empty seats.
These young artists are putting on a solid show with great tech, impressive production values and committed actors, and the tickets are free. One doesn’t even need to understand D&D to enjoy this show.
What’s important is a love for stories because, as Tilly tells us, we are all “just a collection of stories.”
‘She Kills Monsters’ runs through May 18 at the Studio Theatre at the College of Marin, 835 College Ave., Kentfield. Friday-Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. Free. Donations welcome. 415.485.9385. pa.marin.edu.
