Produced by Kobold Blue Productions

Review by Jack Cuinn

Underbelly – Bristo Square: Tickets

A woman enters the stage with chalk in hand, tracing a line around its circumference, creating an initial sense of ritualistic anticipation. Yet, when the lights come up, it becomes clear that she has merely marked the playing space, which, rather than expanding the possibilities, limits the already small stage where the story unfolds.

Things Between Heaven and Earth begins with some forgivable exposition as we are introduced to May and Eric, former best friends, and it quickly becomes evident that this is Eric’s story. Eric, portrayed by Jun Noh, is a writer with an enigmatic presence, but the monotone delivery of his lines drains the performance of any real dramatic tension. This is particularly disappointing in a play billed as akin to thriller hits like Rosemary’s Baby and The Talented Mr. Ripley, where tension should be the lifeblood of the narrative.

The story hinges on a somewhat dated trope of repression, with Eric revealing to May that her boyfriend Darren is homosexual and not truly in love with her: “I know there are a lot of gay men still in the closet in straight relationships,” Eric declares. In a subsequent scene where Eric is interviewed about his new book, he mentions that while his first novel was about coming out, his next work will delve into genre fiction. This shift in focus, however, reflects a broader confusion within the play itself, which struggles to decide whether it wants to be a personal exploration or a genre piece, resulting in a muddled narrative that fails to deliver on either front.

Eric’s line to May, “to create something is to be uncomfortable,” sadly resonates with the restless audience, who find themselves uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons. The uncertainty of the script might have been overlooked if the direction and acting had been more in tune with the text. There are fleeting moments where the actors seem to connect, but these are overshadowed by limp direction and a claustrophobic staging that stifles Eric’s supposed search for truth. Things Between Heaven and Earth falls flat in its hour-long exploration, lacking the honest vulnerability and tension that could have made it compelling.

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