The Bunker
Bradley Sawatzky | for CBC News | Posted: July 22, 2017 4:09 PM | Last Updated: July 22, 2017
Promising premise isn't fully realized in The Bunker
Rating: ★★★
Company: Empty Sea Company
Genre: Play - Dramedy
Venue: 30 - Platform Centre
It's the apocalypse. A man and a woman are hunkered down in a bunker waiting for it to be safe to return to the surface - if it ever will be.
This is a great premise, but it never feels realised. Conflicts that arise are skin deep and video diaries shoehorn in exposition. Considering how many movies and novels tackle this subject matter, nothing new happens here.
A small and sweaty venue adds to the claustrophobia of the bunker. Both performers shine in the drinking scene. Johanna Burdon and Kevin Gabel are stronger than the material that they've created and you want there to be more for them to sink their teeth into.
Johanna Burdon and Kevin Gabel are stronger than the material that they've created. - Bradley Sawatzky
Burdon and Gabel are solid. If you're looking for a decent script with seasoned performers, this is a fit for you.