The Speakeasy Society’s The Kansas Collection is very much like a train. At first, it was slowly chugging along, allowing people to get accustomed to the world they created. During the first few chapters, it gradually picked up steam, as we became integrated into their reimagined world of Oz. But ever since THE VOW, the mid-season finale of this story, it’s clear that the chapters have been a locomotive barreling down the track, with such speed and intensity that it is clear they are building up to one hell of a finale.
This weekend, I attended Chapter 7 of this story, THE HEART, and the train metaphor is a most apt description. Taking place concurrently as Chapter 6, this story dived into another story thread that was left dangling after the royal wedding.
At its core, THE HEART was an emotion tale that changed things significantly. Since day one, the mission on all sides was the same. It didn’t matter what faction you sided with, or what their motive was, the objective was clear; find Dorothy and return her to Oz. And now here we are, seven chapters deep, and things have taken a turn so sharply that my head is spinning.
The show began with something I’ve quite enjoyed: some fantastic interplay between Jack Pumpkinhead and TikTok while on a mission to save Dorothy. These two characters, while constantly at odds with one another, have provided some incredible moments of comic relief in these shows, and it was no different here. Michael Bates and Nikhil Pai have great chemistry together as the two unlikely friends. Even when they are arguing (which is pretty much always), it’s wonderful to see them interact. However, THE HEART showed us different sides of these characters, ones which the actors showed quite well. Pai’s Tik is a man thrust into a role he was unprepared for, but one he inhabits out of belief that he is doing the right thing. To see Pai take charge, to do what he feels must be done, was great. And Bates’ Jack, as dimwitted as he may be, has a heart of gold. Bate’s portrayal of a loyal friend, who runs the emotional gauntlet from what he learns over the course of the show, was incredible.
Colleen Pulawski’s Dorothy, the little lost girl from Oz who grew up to be a hero in everyone’s mind but her own, showed emotional depth here that revealed her true self. Dorothy has been built up in everyone’s minds, as the the savior of Oz, and to see that all crumble before the eyes of those who believe in her most is tragic. Pulawski adds complexity and seriousness to a role that has almost always been light and fluffy in other incarnations. She does an incredible job at making Dorothy a flawed and tragic figure.
But the meat of this chapter, the literal heart, was the relationship the Tin Man has (or the one he imagines he has) with Dorothy. I’ve had an adversarial relationship with Nick, the Tin Man, ever since I first met him in THE AXE. But here, his entire journey, his reason for being there, comes to an end in such a way that nearly killed him.
Every one present played a major role, of course, but this is truly the Tin Man’s story. Deftly played by James Cowan, he carried the bulk of the emotional weight of this show. And despite how I felt about him previously, THE HEART allowed me to understand him better. His motives, his actions, his every moment leading up to this justified how he acted in the past. Hearing his side of the story, hearing him get Dorothy to reveal her biggest secrets, was not something I expected out of this show, but it was such an emotional gut punch. This was truly the Tin Man’s story, and Cowan was a virtuoso in his performance. In the film THE WIZARD OF OZ, he receives a heart. But here, instead of that, Cowan has his torn out of his chest. Accidental as it may have been, as what happened was everyone’s fault, seeing the pain on Cowan’s face showed how deeply it affected him. This was an incredibly amazing performance from him.
Unfortunately, by the time you read this review, the show only has a few tickets left for the last night of its run. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly suggest you try to nab one before it’s gone. We are heading straight toward the end now, and there is no stopping the mighty powerhouse that is The Kansas Collection.
Though there has been talk of remounting the shows from the beginning in the year, The Speakeasy Society unfortunately will be unable to do so due to scheduling conflicts. It looks like they will be pushing straight on through to the end at Chapter 10. However, if you’ve missed previous chapters, don’t let that prevent you from seeing future installments. There is always a handy guide up available directly from the company to help catch you, or new friends up. And really, these shows are something you do NOT want to miss.
For now, I anxiously await the final chapters of this story. I literally have no idea where it is headed, and that delights me to no end. No matter what faction you’re on, The Kansas Collection, especially THE HEART, is an incredible ride.
For more information, visit them online at: http://speakeasysociety.com/
