Get a seatbelt for your brain and hold on tight!
Saw this as part of a sold-out show on Monday and just now posting my review - my bad guys!
This show was a blast. High energy start that (mostly) carried on through the whole performance. Truly a speed-run of 'how to join a cult and maybe also a multi-level-marketing scheme and, surprise surprise, they're very related!' Jared and Peyton each in different ways nailed the cadence and voice of the high octane, aggressive, in your face telling-you-how-smart-you-are-for-buying-this-product infomercial salesperson, as well as the charismatic cult leader/recruiter who is both relatable yet mysterious, charming yet hard to read. The performances are backed up by the duo's sharp writing, covering a lot of the well-known tropes of cult/sales entrapment techniques by grabbing your hand (and brain) and dragging you at breakneck pace through verbal gymnastics about perception, sense of self, belief, doubt, self-improvement, potential and so much more. They also consistently ratchet up the stakes as the show carries on to its rewarding and comedic finale.
I'm being VERY nit-picky, but at times the middle portion of the show flagged a bit in terms of pacing and energy/engagement. Now, having said that, I do want to give them credit and assume some of that is both intentional and necessary, because 1) cult leaders/recruiters/salespersons love to keep you off balance - they'll talk a mile a minute to bombard you with information, then slow down and throw an understanding arm around your shoulder and commiserate with your experience, telling you how you remind them of themselves ... then ramp it up again a moment later while your guard is down, and 2) holy shit that's an exhausting show to do with lots of physical work and movement, and you'll understand why it's so tiring by the end.
All in all, a can't miss show that will entertain you as well as make you think. Or it will make you know. Or it will make you THINK you know. But as they say, you should stop thinking.
