Another America at Park Theatre

It’s odd when plays break the fourth wall – and can be off-putting if they do it repeatedly. However, Another America at the Park Theatre breaks the barrier so often that it begins to feel like the audience is part of the play and it becomes quite absorbing. 

Set in contemporary-ish America, where a “recent election result” has divided the country, the story is about a group of three friends who embark on a pilgrimage across the US to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Along the way, they encounter a wide range of people, asking them to sign a genuine Utah Jets basketball they have brought with them. It’s a classic parable, a story with lots of opportunities for life lessons and personal growth which the play doesn’t shy away from. 

Another America’s greatest strength is the chemistry between its three actors. Whenever they encounter someone new, they transform into that person, meaning that between the three of them they cover a total of 36 different personalities. Although some of the transformations are quite simple, a few absolutely steal the show. A particular highlight is when they meet their uncle who has detached himself from society and now lives on his own in the wilderness. Whilst it begins quite light-heartedly, it quickly turns into an incredibly poignant and sad look at what life is like for people who feel they have been left behind. 

The three main characters are also far more interesting than they appear at the beginning, and each of them ends the trip having found some kind of absolution. Eventually, their individual journeys become bigger than the main journey itself.

The production itself is quite bare-bones and probably could benefit from some extra stage magic. This is most evident at the beginning before the story really gets going and means some scenes are a little stilted. This might just be to do with the auditorium not being completely full, as the fourth-wall breaks likely would land better with more people to interact with. By the end of the play, however, this dynamic begins to feel more normal and the story engaging enough that the staging isn’t noticeable. 

Overall, Another America is equal parts entertaining and touching, and while it may be slightly longer than it needs to be, it certainly leaves an impact.

Joe Milo

Another America is at Park Theatre from 6^th April until 30^th April 2022. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.