It’s hard not to imagine a big city like Philadelphia with an immense diversity in the arts. Although this was a leading factor in my decision to attend Temple, I was skeptical about having to see a play required for my theater class this semester. After watching Microcrisis at the Interact Theater, all I could think about was attending more plays through out the semester.
With a running time of 85 minutes, Microcrisis kept the attention of the audience with constant engagement and laughter. The small stage and seating room created an intimate setting and made the characters seem to come to life even more.
The production cast was made up of only six actors, some playing multiple roles.
The play follows three characters: Bennett, an intelligent, sneaky banker, Lydia, an intern for Microloan, and Randy, a nerdy Harvard graduate. Seeking to make more money and create something big, Bennett travels to Ghana to find Lydia, who is working as an intern for Microloan, a non-profit organization that gives loans to lower class people with a 2 percent interest rate.
With Bennett’s sneaky, smart ways, Lydia quickly falls under his spell of turning the idea into something bigger. After finding Randy, a lazy, intelligent Harvard grad, Bennett begins to acquire investors and trains Lydia and Randy to learn the business through his conniving ways. With various problems and complications, the audience watches as Bennett and his puppets crash the global economy with Microcredit.
In his play, playwright Mike Lew creates a raunchy atmosphere that depicts the everyday person and today’s society perfectly.
The vulgar characters had the audience laughing during every scene. Although some parts, such as sexual scenes, may have made the audience feel out of place and awkward, the playwright and actors reproduced the actions of today’s society that are usually ignored or kept secret.
Aside from the raunchy and comedic aspects, the play equally represents the traits of today’s bankers and how people are easily swayed and influenced by them. Through out the production, the audience follows the transformation of Randy and especially Lydia as they acquire Bennett’s traits and sneaky ways.
Microcrisis runs until Feb. 12 at the Interact Theater. Student tickets run between $15 and $25. Contact the theater for more information or visit http://interacttheatre.org/2011-2012-feature-2.html.