THE THIRD PLAY BY SPENSER DAVIS
(Written directly for the virtual medium)
COMMISSION: Interrobang Theatre Project, Chicago. September 2020.
WORLD PREMIERE: Interrobang Theatre Project, Chicago. Directed by Spenser Davis. Oct - Nov 2020.
REGIONAL PREMIERE: Street Corner Arts, Austin. Directed by Spenser Davis. April 2021. Extended thru May!
Winner of 3 B. Iden Payne Awards including
Best Digital (Live) Production & Best Director
“My favorite online production since theaters began shuttering last March. Satisfying, enriching, entertaining and proof that Chicago contains some of this country’s greatest actors and theater...”
Politics are at a boiling point, COVID is rampant and Zoom calls are still the absolute worst. When the Public Works Director of a major city confesses to a horrible crime, a team of spin doctors are brought in at the last possible second to pull off a tough assignment: prepare the Mayor’s top aide for a crucial news interview, distance City Hall from the controversy and point the public’s attention elsewhere. And do it entirely over video-conferencing. At a time when live theatre is at a standstill, THE SPIN is a brand-new dark comedy written and produced for the virtual medium.
“Wickedly satirical... As immersive as a pandemic show ever could hope to be and deserves to be remembered after the arrival of the vaccine that is just around the corner as a prima-facie example of off-Loop formative invention...”
“‘The Spin’ and ‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ provide post-election catharsis... Davis’s production uses the framework of the online world better than many other Zoom productions I’ve seen in the past few months. The fact that the action unfolds in real time adds a sense of urgency, if not depth, to the show. [The play is] crackling with snarky and sinister wit. ”
“Zoom theatre (as we’ve covered at length) is enormously difficult to do effectively, and ‘The Spin’ is the best execution of it I have seen so far this year... a searingly relevant, disturbingly hilarious, and incredibly tense story that manages to transcend both its medium and its subject matter. [I’m making] a genuine plea for a sequel.”
“A spot-on satire for an image-obsessed era...
’The Spin’ holds up a mirror — well, a camera — to our inadequacies, and it’s not a pretty picture... So real, it’s almost scary. ”
“‘The Spin’ will hold you in its grip and won’t let you go. It’s not only a brilliant political play; it’s a dark and compelling vision of the time in which we are living. Well-paced and very realistic ... Davis gets splendid performances from all of his actors.””
“Incredibly real and nail-biting ... ‘The Spin’ is writer/director Spenser Davis’s brilliant blend of theatric sensibilities in a digital format. The acting is not just endlessly fascinating here but downright phenomenal across the board. You simply will not want this highly recommended wonder to end. ”
“Davis is known for being adept at capturing genuine human connections. His dialogue is always in tune with how people speak to one another, and ‘The Spin’ is no exception. After watching other plays recently adapted for the screen, ‘The Spin’ is refreshing.”
“‘The West Wing’ meets ‘Veep’ ... at times uncomfortable and unsettling, with just the right balanced nuances of humor, ‘The Spin’ is an inventive and creative look at how quickly we have adjusted to our new surroundings. Davis has mastered it here with a consistent pace and great attention to detail.”
“Seamless ... razor sharp with a biting wit ... a fascinating, darkly comedic peek behind the curtain. Playwright Spenser Davis infuses his characters life and depth within the confines of the small Zoom box, a feat that is nothing short of miraculous. Worth every moment of your time. I was honestly watching the final moments of the performance with my jaw on the floor. ”
Cast of the Chicago production.
Cast of the Austin, TX production.