Although “Communicating Doors” has a complicated plot, it isn’t hard to enjoy this fast-paced, murderous comedy that involves everything from love to greed.
The story, set in 2014, begins as an elderly and wealthy attorney, Reece, played by English senior Michael Scott Hunter, requests the aid of a Sexual Services Specialist, or a 3S, named Poopay. She is played by theater senior Kelly Kaufman.
Although skilled in the fine arts of restraining and dominating, Poopay has no clue what she’s in for when she’s asked to visit Reece’s hotel suite.
There Poopay learns of the death of Reece’s two wives - and her night gets more complicated.
While Poopay, donned in her tightest rubber and lace corset with a spiked collar, seems to bring only her head-turning sexuality, she turns out to be the unlikely antagonist.
As the play progresses, Poopay uses time travel to solve the mystery behind Reece’s wives’ deaths.
Moving between time periods and making split-second decisions is Poopay’s specialty. Her futuristic and free attitude propels her into the hearts of audience members despite her overtly sexual style and stigmatized profession.
Kaufman does a great job of making her character believable. It’s easy to put her racy appearance aside to trust and like Poopay.
Poopay is countered by Julian, the play’s villain, played by theater graduate student Brett Tweedel. He appears to be an upstanding businessman, but, as Poopay proves, looks are deceiving. Doubling as Reece’s business partner and partner in crime, Julian travels through time and around the nation to do his dirty work.
Tweedel does an excellent job as an evil character. He speaks in a slow sinister tone that could make a rock quiver.
Kept in the dark throughout the play is the hotel head of security, played by theater graduate student Ben Sumrall. Although he’s generally in the right place at the right time, he just can’t figure out why strange events are occurring in his hotel.
Sumrall provides some of the comedic element of the play, playing the role of the security officer who thinks he’s a tough-guy cop.
After a few scares and lots of explanations, Poopay works to solve the mysteries.
In her pursuits, Poopay travels through “communicating doors” in the hotel suite, going back to 1994 and then farther back to 1974.
The communicating doors are used again and again, as the years change in a matter of minutes. The ages of some characters jump from young and vibrant to old and weak.
While traveling through time, Tweedel and Hunter undergo many physical changes. Hunter undergoes major changes as he goes from old age to his early 20s. Tweedel also loses a few years as the time travel ensues. The cast made efficient use of the time between scenes to make these character changes.
Taking many different twists and turns, this comedic thriller creates an air of caution as the characters attempt to save their own lives in the future while living in the past.
“Communicating Doors” runs again this weekend in the Arena Theatre in the Auditorium basement. Show times are 7:30 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 at the door.
