Red Hills

See it if You enjoy immersive theater and are willing to walk from one room into another. Also if you enjoy political theater.

Don't see it if You do not like any of the above

See it if you enjoy immersive theatre; are interested in hearing about the Rwandan genocide

Don't see it if you have trouble standing for extended periods of time; sitting on a hard wooden bench for the majority of the show sounds unbearable

See it if You want an absorbing theatrical production covering an important period of recent history, deeply moving and powerful

Don't see it if You want a traditional play, or if the subject matter would be an issue, but it’s a topic that needs to be addressed (uncomfy seats)

See it if immersive and interactive theatre is a plus. great use of space, scenic design, and music/foley.

Don't see it if u don't like participation or want to be seated for the whole time. Don't like well-meaning whiteness being challenged.

See it if you want to understand the genocide in Rwanda in the context of a victim and his family.

Don't see it if You don't want heavy themed shows of a disturbing subject matter.

See it if You want a different kind of theatre experience - and a subject matter that is heartbreaking and gives one great pause to think

Don't see it if You are uninterested in the Rwandan genocide and do not have a certain patience for storytelling.

Also An extremely creative space to witness this story in and we are very close to the bone with both points of view - as the mystery unfolds and we see how this subject of forgiveness is activated. Most intriguing and fulfilling.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re interested in the white savior narrative/how Americans exploit developing countries’ tragedies for profit

Don't see it if You can’t handle intense theater, deals with heavy trauma

See it if Enjoy an immersive theater going experience

Don't see it if You dont like standing for potentially extended periods and exposure to dark themes is troubling to you

See it if Rwanda and its history interests you, you like site-specific, immersive staging

Don't see it if You don't like to stand or sit in uncomfortable chairs or 90 minutes. A two person play doesn't do much for you.

See it if You enjoy shows with audience immersion/interaction. You want to see a piece of theatre that will make you research the subject matter.

Don't see it if You very much dislike any sort of audience participation. You feel you would not be able to sit on a wooden bench for a while.

Also "I Love You, I'm Sorry, Forgive Me, Thank You."

There are not many productions that handle this level of immersion so gracefully. Without giving anything away, what begins with a very literally immersion turns into a less straightforward one with great effectiveness.

The space is beautiful and absorbing. The production team has done a wonderful job morphing the office space to suit their needs. You can spend quite a bit of time studying all the space.

Christopher McLinden Patrick J. Ssenjovu are well matched, though it's Ssenjovu as the charismatic God's Blessing who has the daunting task of brining the audience into the more transcendental realm of the play, and he does a wonderful job.

I felt though, that the narrative itself though, didn't live up to the performances and the design elements.

We see very little of the characters' exploits, and much time is spent reflecting upon them. I think if this imbalance we tinkered with, Red Hills would be even more effective.... Read more Read less

See it if you like an unusual setting and a small cast; interested in the topic of two men's experience in Rwanda

Don't see it if you have trouble sitting on a bench for a long period of time; your mind wanders during slow performances

See it if You enjoy inventive and immersive theatre (even if it is a little underdeveloped)

Don't see it if You don't want to stand. You want something polished.

See it if you are interested in an exploration of forgiveness (or lack thereof) and stories/who should be telling them

Don't see it if you're not comfortable with some audience participation, you want proper seats, you want a lot of plot/action

See it if You don't mind being beaten over the head with a hackneyed story. It is hard to believe someone agreed to be identified as a dramaturge.

Don't see it if Obvious is a problem for you. Please, give the hero a bad habit, and give us any reason to not hate the stupid, evil white guy.

See it if You want to be disappointed. Site-specific shows when done right are powerfully immersive, this feels forced at best and grueling at worst.

Don't see it if You want to see a thoughtful examination of how genocide affects a nation.

See it if You want to sit in a sauna for 3 hours listening to two people complain.

Don't see it if You expect to have a great customer experience. The space does not accommodate a good theater-going experience.