Agnes’ younger sister Tilly has died, before Agnes was truly able to get to know her. Like so many of us, she never believed time would run out. When Agnes discovers Tilly’s notebook for Dungeons and Dragons, she sees it as an opportunity for deeper understanding. She seeks out one of Tilly’s confederates to assist, as she explores the quixotic gameworld, so enigmatic to the uninitiated. This is the premise of Qui Nguyen’s She Kills Monsters, a strange blend of the melancholy and preposterous, the fanciful and crucial. Like a Rauschenberg collage or Lynch film, the balance of seemingly polarized elements seems to happen without contrivance or gimmickry.
As Agnes starts to learn the ropes and tropes of D&D (acquiring an identity, understanding protocols of sorcery, picking up the process of battle) she picks up on the discrepancies between Tilly’s everyday behavior, and her “shadow side” while playing the game. It’s not so much about good or bad, as Tilly’s chance to summon her more distinct, fearless propensities, in a context where players can evince without being mocked or reprimanded. The villains and monsters have their roots in the recognizable world, and little by little, Agnes comes to grasp her younger sister’s trials and travails, victories and disappointments.
It’s almost impossible to talk about She Kills Monsters without mentioning the numerous references to 90’s Pop Culture. Too young to pass for nostalgia perhaps, but familiar enough to tickle, considering the quantum leaps we’ve made since that pivotal decade. Nguyen seems to have figured out how to deliver unblinking camp without missing a beat, and Fight Choreographer Jeffrey Colangelo has brought it off with precision. When Batman and Robin walloped the sociopaths in the old ABC series, we knew they weren’t really fighting, but they were dead serious. When Agnes, Tilly, and their comrades engage in battle with various entities of destruction, it feels like a mash up of ferocity and poise. The result is bracing, hilarious and exhilarating. We feel Agnes’ loss, but also, the allure, the conciliatory aspects of D&D become plain. Nguyen has achieved an intelligent, clever and deeply moving piece that will lighten your burdens and resonate with your spirit.
Theatre 3 presents She Kills Monsters, playing March 8th-April 1st, 2018. 2800 Routh Street, Suite 168, Dallas, Texas 75201. 214-871-3300. boxoffice@theatre3dallas.com