We Give It
8
10outta
Plus One – A Poignant, Well-Acted Look at Serious Topics
Small-ensemble, minimalist shows can be really hard to do well. You’re basically asking performers to carry the entire experience on their backs, with no break, with nothing to distract or fall back on if their acting is having an off night. But that’s not an issue with the latest production at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theater. Plus One, a remount of a two-person play that debuted in September 2018, is performed expertly by Micah Cover and Michelle Danyn and offers an emotional journey that greatly benefits from being staged in ZJU’s intimate black-box theater.
What’s the Hook For, Doc?
Plus One’s premise is fairly straightforward: A patient (Cover) who recently attempted suicide is undergoing their first therapy session with a doctor (Danyn). Said patient is a struggling stand-up comedian whose life fell apart in an abrupt and spectacular fashion, while the doctor has some troubles of her own.
The other big complication is that the patient has an imaginary friend. Played by a volunteer chosen from the audience at the start of the show, this participant is mercifully not handed any lines, but is nonetheless a focal point of the play. Physically, because they quite literally in the middle of Cover and Danyn, but also in terms of the plot. Unless the doctor can cure the patient of this imaginary friend, they are all doomed.
I’m Sorry That Happened to You
Plus One takes place entirely in the doctor’s office, with very little in the way of props or set dressing. This means the show hangs entirely on Cover and Danyn’s ability to keep the audience engaged and offer a compelling story. Thankfully they are both up to the task. Cover does a great job of gradually transitioning from deflection and retreat to humor and finally to vulnerability and introspection. Danyn is equally compelling in her portrayal of the doctor’s move from detached professionalism to more direct engagement when it becomes clear that her patient really needs someone to actually give a damn.
The whirlwind tour through the doctor and patient’s issues and life stories builds to a climax with a pair of big plot twists, before ending on a softer and more hopeful note. Some humor sprinkled throughout helps keep the tone from getting TOO heavy, but ultimately this is a drama touching on the difficult subjects of depression, suicide, misogyny, and racism.
Father O’Malley Is in a Bind
If there’s one area in which I think Plus One stumbles a little, it’s the pacing. The play covers a LOT of ground in an hour, with both characters changing significantly over the course of the story. The show would benefit from taking a little more time to allow the characters to breathe and really process the things they are forced to confront about themselves and each other.
Since Plus One is based on a true story, I suspect that what audiences are shown is a much-condensed version of a longer process. It’s still a good play, and again one that’s very well-executed. But due to time constraints, it relies almost exclusively on tell-me vs show-me storytelling. I can’t help but wonder if adding a little more of the latter might make it even better.
What’s the Hook For, Doc?
With all that said, I do recommend giving this a look if you’re able. Plus One is intimate, heartfelt, weighty, and worth seeing for Cover and Danyn’s performances alone. The downside is that this is a limited encore run, and just two showtimes remain: 8:30pm on January 28th and 29th. Tickets can be purchased via the Zombie Joe’s website here.
