Generation Post Script – Breakfast Club in Space a review

Written and directed by Mily Mumford. Playing at 8:00 PM from April 11th Preview 8pm, 12th-14th 2017 8pm, April 15th and 16th shows at 2pm and 8pm at Studio 1398, Granville Island. Tickets at theatrewire.com. Presented in partnership with Theatre Wire. Produced by Nebula Company Theatre.

Mily Mumford’s play, “Generation Post Script” is set in a post apocalyptic colony that hovers above a now uninhabitable earth. Space exploration is still unavailable. The “lucky” inhabitants maintain a stilted existence caught between survivor’s guilt and the unstable future that is their life on the colony.

“What does privilege mean? It means you get to watch the rest of humanity die.”

                                                                                     –Evelyn, Generation Post Script

Four maladapted college students, the first generation to be born in space struggle to reconcile themselves to their existence; hence the reference to Breakfast Club in the sub title. They have many questions about what life was like on Earth and if anyone still inhabits the land that has become toxic due to global warming.  Facebot, a robot whose job is to assist the colonists as they adjust and to post their social media for them, enables and curtails their adventures. Holograms depicting characters that lived through the transition interject to give the audience commentary and backstory.

As in Frankenstein 1945, a previously piece by Mily Mumford that played last October, Generation Post Script deals with a large number of sociopolitical issues. The allusions to genetically augmented human offspring,the pitfalls of automated social media, global warming, American supremacy and exceptionalism as well a  escapism into virtual reality are all issues that are delved into. Despite this dense swarm of serious ideas the actors add a lightness and humor that gives the play its balance and watchability. Facebot’s (Douglas Ennenberg) robotic programming is delightfully dry and authoritative as it whizzes around on a hoverboard. At times the scenes did seem to lag, especially during that last half of the show. Since so many issues were brought up some of them could only be only mentioned briefly. This play felt like it could have been a thought provoking 1000 page futuristic novel  in the style of Margaret Atwood as opposed to a 2 hour play. However, Mily Mumford’s skill in spinning an entertaining story that bravely asks serious questions about our future is impressive.

Artistic Team: Director Mily Mumford, Featuring Main Cast Douglas Ennenberg, Xander Williams, Bailey Soleil Creed, Levi Schneider, Ming Hudson Holograms Played by Amitai Marmostein, Nina Boosheri, Jay Clift, Luc D’lppolito Sound Designer CJ McGillivray, Lighting Designer/Technical Director Kougar Basi, Projection Designer Cameron Fraser, Makeup Designer Kelsey Zimmerman, Makeup Consultant Cheyenne Mabberley, Stage Management Samantha Pawliuk Assistant Stage Manager Nico Dicecco Production Assistant Hannah Rose Brearley Production Design Mily Mumford.