Intergalactic Nemesis delivered an amazing, out of this world adventure, satisfying my thirst for a deeply entertaining science fiction thriller. Hands down, one of my favourite performances that I have seen in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Fortunately before the performance, I was able to interview Jason Neulander, writer, director and producer of this fantastic sensory experience and was able to gain further insight and behind-the-scenes production of the show.
The year is 1933. Pulitzer-prize award winning journalist Molly Sloan, research assistant Timmy Menedez are hot on the chase on the lead of a fantastic story and through a harrowing blizzard, meet up with a contact. However, their contact gravely cautions the intrepid team that their story is at a dead end, as any informants are either missing or dead. There is a clue, a piece of paper with details of the “Central Hive.” Before the contact can elaborate on this strange clue, a mysterious figure appears at the doorway and wields a menacing knife, which sinks into the back of their contact. Another mysterious figure tackles down the knife thrower…soon, Molly Sloan and Timmy Menedez are caught up in an exciting whirlwind of adventure as they meet mysterious figures and informants, including Ben Wilcott, Mysterion the Magnificent and my favourite, Jean-Pierre Desperois…. and stumble upon the story of the century….
Three actors with radio broadcasting microphones shuffled in a corner, alongside an amazing sound technician trained in the art of Foley (sound effects using everyday objects), a piano accompanist and someone to manually transition each comic scene projected onto a huge screen makes for the perfect multimedia production!
The radio play was brilliantly written, with hilarious awkward stare downs among characters, a budding romance cued by sappy music and spontaneous reactions (often caused by alien Zygonians), my favourite and humorous Jean-Pierre Desperois making great appearances, and a generous dose of great sci-fci action and monsters.
At first, the overwhelming sensory experience made it difficult for me to decide what the focus upon: the excellent voice actors that added humour and realism by their facial expressions and body movements, the huge comic scenes projected on stage artistically created or the amazing “sound technician” that imitated thunder with a plastic sheet. I decided to focus upon the amazing actors that had brought the comic book adventure to life, each actor seamlessly creating the many voices of each character in the comic book- the high pitched and evil trickster, Mysterion the Magnificent, the timid Timmy Mendez, sassy and high-spirited Molly Sloan, and the Frenchman Jean Pierre Deperois- they were able to do them all! (Even when two different characters, voiced by the same actor, was well performed!)
Also, the “sound technician” with a wide array of household objects laid in front of her, acted as her deadly arsenal of killer sound effects. Mysterion the Magnificent entrances were signaled with humorous and eerie alien calling- simply created with two, colourful long tubes waved over one’s head. A cement block screeching across the table for a door slamming shut, dripping water, a huge plastic sheet for thunder… it made the experience organic and fresh.
Hopefully they come back to Calgary with Book 2! It’s not an experience you want to miss out on! I had genuine conversations with the entire cast after the show, while having an item signed by them (I had learned about the art of Foley and meet Jason Neulander and production cast in person) and that love will definitely bring back the audience!
Thanks so much to Kerri Savage, Communications Manager at the Epcor Centre for arranging the interview with Jason Neulander. Also youth volunteers at Youth Central and I was able to enjoy such an amazing, larger-than-life comic book adventure!