Set in rural Canada, The Gas Station at the Edge of the Universe at Venue 13’s Main Space, produced by Wyrmwood Theatre, sounds like it might be situated in The Hitchhiker’s series, but would be more at home in Twin Peaks or Stranger Things. This dark, mythological journey through buried childhood trauma comes up hopeful as the hero finally faces their pain.
Wyrmwood Theatre’s absurdist horror incorporates mask work, fight scenes, and digital effects to create an increasingly unfamiliar and hostile surrounding. Sawyer has just returned to their small hometown from university.
They run into Casey, their childhood best friend, and they reconnect as though no time has passed between them. However, there’s something creepy lurking beneath the surface. Soon, Sawyer and Casey’s reality begins to fall apart as they encounter malicious masked characters (who hint that the humans are the monsters in their universe, not the other way around).
Sawyer receives guidance from a floating moon-drenched figure, who Casey cannot see, another hint that something is terribly wrong. Casey begins to ask Sawyer if they can talk about something awful that happened; Sawyer rejects that, finally leaving Casey. The pair split up, battling their respective masked creatures. The journey through more and more painful experiences, extreme heat and cold are recurring themes, eventually leads them to a gas station situated at the edge of the universe.
Casey has arrived first and bought Sawyer a Klondike bar, but entreats Sawyer to go home. Casey needs to catch a bus somewhere else. No spoilers, but you can guess what that might symbolise.
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Though The Gas Station at the Edge of the Universe, written and directed by Trinity Tacknyk, brings in metaphors for mental health struggles, unfortunately there are no real stakes or risks onstage. The masked monsters crouch, growl, and speak in sing-song voices, which is a stereotypical choice.
I wonder what could be accomplished with less traditionally ‘creepy’ acting. Sawyer and Casey never seem truly horrified by the presence of the monsters, which could be interesting if the monsters were supposed to be familiar personal demons, but the script does not indicate this. A fish-person at the end of the show monologues to Sawyer that everyone deserves love, even when they’re rotten and full of maggots.
Considering the trauma Sawyer confronts as a child, this seems very dismissive of the experience. The digital assets don’t feel integrated with the world as no one reacts to them, though the Canadian snacks floating through the gas station scene were entertaining.
This is an amateur production featuring good ideas, and with more work, it could absolutely become a great show. If you want to support fringe newbies, check it out at Venue 13’s Main Space.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
