Qui Nguyen’s She Kills Monsters is as fantastic and beautiful as the world they have created! Renamed She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms, the play is an adventure that uses the Zoom medium in ways not seen before. Incorporating elements like elaborate costumes, different camera angles, and heavy editing, Virginia Commonwealth University’s take on this play feels like a mix between a 2004 GameCube videogame and a mid-2010s movie.
The story hooks you up right from the start. With Tatjana Shields as the Narrator in her stunning costume radiating pure unadulterated geek energy, you know this play is bound to be a memorable experience. The story follows Agnes and the Dungeons and Dragons(D&D) quest her late sister left behind. As Agnes progresses through the uncertain fictional world, we see her explore not only different parts of herself, but also of the sister she thought she knew.
Nakira Seymour (Agnes) and Trinitee Pearson (Tilly) found a successful way to create a chemistry that can give the chemistry found on a stage a run for its money. The performances in this show had me engaged during the whole time, wanting to see them continue facing the obstacles in their quest. I think they committed bravely to becoming characters in a role-playing game.
When it came to making this show as original as it could be, the cast and crew of this show did not hold back, and it shows! The elaborate use of Virtual Backgrounds, the incorporation of special effects and pictures during boss battles. It is so refreshing to watch, because even thought it was made with Zoom, it does not feel that way. You stop thinking about it and easily stay entranced with the story. As someone who plays videogames since their childhood, watching this entire play felt exactly like going through a videogame with some beautiful realistic cutscenes.
At its core, She Kills is a story about family. It melts the heart to see two sisters come to terms with former disagreements or secrets, as it does with giving a voice and a sense of play (yes, pun intended) to the people who feel like they don’t in the real world.
