40 minutes | Mystery, Sci-fi | PG
If you never hear anything interesting when you eavesdrop, take this opportunity to listen in on an intense, guarded conversation between two people with a complex history. Division 161 delivers on being both a mystery and sci-fi, with a gradual reveal of information and some unexpected twists.
The show is short, about 40 minutes, so there’s a lot left unexplored for the audience to figure out. It’s a perfect length of time for a natural-sounding conversation to run — more would have felt excessive.
The actors ably present characters who are on edge around each other, but have to keep up appearances since they’re in a semi-public place. As they argue obliquely about the details of a covert mission gone poorly, boundaries fall and control starts to slip.
The premise is that Division 161 is a conversation overheard in a pub, and audience members are welcome to bring along their drink and/or food. Be sure to get there early and order in advance to avoid disturbing the performance.
The basement of a pub isn’t a typical theatre venue, but it’s used quite well. The actors are seated at a table for most of the performance, and use menus, drinks, cutlery, and even the salt and pepper shakers to punctuate their conversation. (If you’re sensitive to ground black pepper, note the shaker gets emptied onto the table at one point.) There’s even a technician, who manages the dimmer switch to great effect. A few imagined or remembered scenes are cued with dimmed, flickering lights.
If you’d like a relaxed atmosphere while you enjoy a snippet of theatre along with a drink or fries, Division 161 offers an interesting puzzle of a scene where not all is as it seems.
Division 161 plays at BYOV D – The Royal Oak, 161 Laurier, on June 18 at 7:30 pm, June 19 at 6:00 pm, June 21 at 9:00 pm, June 22 at 6:30 pm, June 23 at 8:30 pm, June 25 at 7:30 pm, and June 26 at 4:00 pm.
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