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Help!

nytheatre.com review by Margie Stokley
August 15, 2005

Out of Hand Theater Company, an Atlanta troupe, takes on the FringeNYC festival and infuses the usual stoic NYC crowd with heart and humor; a true commitment to their material and honest direct eye contact make this interactive show a treat to see. HELP! is a spoof of motivational speakers (i.e., Tony Robbins, Dr. Phil, etc.) and self-help seminars. When you pick up your tickets you are greeted by four “life coaches,” whose smiles and easygoing eyes usher you to seats which are separated into four sections: Drunk, Poor, Sad, and Just Fine.I opted for Drunk because I knew this was interactive theatre and my gut told me the Just Fines were going to get the most abuse. I was right.HELP! has a richer arc than most sketch comedy pieces but less character development and/or drama than your average play. Usually, I detest actors nudging me or having to feel a part of someone else’s inside joke, but with these life coaches there was no downtime to think twice about it. No one actor pushes for the spotlight, each has his or her own charm, and all four are likable and engaging. The show takes you through Healing, Elevation, Love, and Perfection. Each stage is spelled out by a different coach and every so often there is a confessional moment where we hear about the dark and dreary pasts that lead them to discovery and recovery through HELP!’s program. I particularly liked these passages because the actors put nothing on top of their text. They delivered these intimate addresses without a punch line, and for me more moments like these would have benefited this production.HELP! is performed and conceived by Ariel de Man, Adam Fristoe, Maia Knispel, and Justin Welborn, with playwright Steve Yockey; no director is credited. They take you on an extremely high energy ride and work seamlessly as an ensemble to keep you on your path to HELP! As I left the theatre, I can’t say the program changed my life, but the production changed my opinion of interactive theater, and it was obvious that the actors had charmed all who witnessed their performance.