Review: Trap Captivates Audiences

UHS Theatre’s rendition of the play Trap this past weekend both captivated and frightened audiences. The play was complete with dim lighting, including spotlights that added suspense to certain moments. The lighting and set, which consisted of one couch in the middle of the stage with rows of audience seating behind it to resemble the theatre in which the event took place, added to the drama and conveyed a fearful atmosphere that was apparent as soon as you stepped into the theatre.

Trap is a psychological thriller in which everyone attending a school play falls unconscious except one student. The story is told through interviews in a documentary-style narrative, focusing heavily on audience engagement by placing the audience within the story. Towards the end of the play, cast members went into the audience and directly interacted with audience members who were placed on purpose to become a part of the play. The confusion of what was real and what was fake made the experience immersive and that much more thrilling.

Heche, who is played by sophomore Eve Isberg, is a detective working to find out what caused the audience of this school play to spontaneously fall unconscious. Isberg does a spectacular job of portraying the confusion and reactions to the many twists and turns her journey takes her on through both her acting and line delivery. She gives a very convincing performance and makes the audience feel the emotions with her.

Freshman Alex Yarborough plays Angela, the only student in the audience not to fall unconscious that night. Yarborough’s portrayal of the emotional turmoil and PTSD that comes with all of your classmates mysteriously becoming comatose in front of you was outstanding. Specifically, a scene in the first act right after her classmates pass out, Angela calls 911 in a frantic and desperate attempt to figure out whats happening around her, Yarborough’s portrayl of Angela’s mixture of fear and confusion in this moment was very commendable.

Trap, directed by Melissa Burke-Markquart, does a spectacular job at keeping the audience on the edge of their seats through both lighting and dramatic sound effects, including utilizing silence to emphasize the tenseness of a scene.

When watching Trap, it’s extremely apparent that all people involved in the production both worked very hard and put their hearts into it. Their efforts made the show an immersive experience that kept the audience in suspense and wanting more.