This is going to sound crazy but follow along here: ogres are like onions.

No, wait, hear me out! I promise I won’t break out into a rendition of All-Star; this is actually going somewhere. Ogres are like onions. Why? Because of layers. Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. And you know what else has layers? THE NEST, the much-anticipated re-imagined remount of Scout Expedition Co.’s show that debuted over two years ago.

And much like onions and ogres, THE NEST has multiple layers. Each one you peel back reveals another and another, unraveling so deep inside its world that you can get lost in it that you never want to leave. Make no mistake; THE NEST is an incredibly wonderful piece of storytelling that will leave you wowed (and quite likely, also in tears).

In a slight change-up from the original storyline, you have now won the auction of a storage unit from Mel B’s Auction House. The unit once belonged to Josephine Carroll. Unfortunately, she passed a few months back, and with no family to speak of, everything within now belongs to you. And as you explore the unit, Josie’s story unwinds through a series of cassette tapes, ones she has recorded during various moments of her life. Discovering them, and listening through the portable tape deck, uncovers a story of a woman with big ambitions but burdened with heartbreak and sorrow.

The tapes are an ingenious storytelling device, and an incredible use of a somewhat defunct medium. In this day and age of always rushing around, using these tapes almost forces the audience to slow down and take their time. Especially because there are no “live” actors to speak of during THE NEST. The cassette tapes are the star here, as the story of Josie’s life unfolds solely through these recordings.

Each snapshot into a period of her life gives you a little more insight as to who she was and what she had gone through, and you’re there, expiring the highs and the lows with her. And while there may not be any actors in the space with you, Josie’s story very much comes alive through these recordings. You applaud her triumphs, you cry at the tragedies, and you feel right along with her as you listen…and all of this is done through the incredible and emotional performance of Mackenzie Firgens as Josie.

Firgens does the bulk of the heavy lifting here, which is quite the accomplishment. Like most immersive shows, we don’t have the benefit of eye contact or body language to help convey what a character is feeling. Instead, Firgens is able to command the room solely through the sound of her voice. I spent a lot of my days listening (and creating) modern-day audio dramas, and let me tell you, it’s not easy to portray such a range of emotions using just your voice. However, Firgens has mastered that art, and her presence fills the room even without her physically being there.

Josie is not alone in her journey, as the recordings also feature a few others. Matthew Bamberg-Johnson, whose name you might recognize from The Speakeasy Society, plays her husband Tom. Though not the central figure of the story, Bamberg-Johnson also goes through quite the range of emotions here, and it’s both heart-breaking and wonderful to see how their relationship plays out.

Additional kudos need to be given to the rest of the supporting cast of John McCormick, Evlana Panelli, and Mayanna Berrin for their wonderful performances as well. There were so many moments where Juliet (my storage unit companion) and I just sat in the dark and listened, enthralled and engrossed in the story.

And again, the story is truly top notch. From start to finish, hearing about Josie’s life, in her own words, was incredible. It was one of pure joy to absolute heartbreak; the story of someone who had high aspirations for their life, had to settle for what they got, and lashed out because of it. There were moments of laughter, moments of surprise, and even moments where we were on the verge of tears.

But let’s be honest, Josie and her recordings aren’t the only stars of the show. In fact, the biggest wow factors came from the space itself. The entirety of the show takes place within the storage unit, and peeling back the layers of it (again, like an ogre!) was like discovering new worlds.

Each corner we turned, every door we opened, each object we explored…they all had meaning. They all wowed us with a sense of wonder. The unit starts off like another; filled to the brim with boxes. You can shift through Josie’s things, which are scattered all over, and it feels just like a living, breathing person had delicately placed it all there. But as we continued to explore its winding pathways, the secrets we discovered absolutely blew us away.

The scenic design really blew us away. I don’t really want to mention what we saw, to avoid spoilers, but I will say that the things you will see were definitely unexpected for a storage unit. The mysteries it held were mind-boggling, and major kudos has to be given for the work put in to create this world. It was truly unbelievable.

I gave this warning the last time around, but it is worth mentioning again; THE NEST is not an escape room. Yes, it does include some escape room-like elements, but it is an immersive journey into Josie’s life. Hearing her story unfold before you is a true treasure, and discovering the path you take along the way is a delight. A tape might lead to a key, which leads to a new room, to a new box, to a new puzzle, to a new discovery that will take your breath away. I was a big fan of the old-school point and click adventure games growing up, and this was essentially a live-action version of that.

Again, while not an escape room, there are some “puzzles” you need to uncover along the way. None of them are too challenging, but even if so, don’t you worry. There is a very in-world “hint” system within the storage unit, where a ringing phone and a helpful auctioneer would be more than happy to help you along the way, if needed.

All-in-all, THE NEST is a sensational work of art. Scout Expedition Co. pushes the boundaries of immersive theater once again, creating an incredibly unique and ambitious tale that will leave you breathless. It’s so, so good and so, so different from the usual offerings we see in Los Angeles. Even if you saw the show during its original run, it’s STILL well-worth it to see it again to check out all the new secrets you can find, along with the revamped storyline. It was like a brand-new experience for me!

Kudos to Jarrett Lantz and Jeff Leinenveber on crafting such an incredible story. From story, to set design, to the overall page, it is impressive. Kudos to the entire Scout Expedition Co. team for crafting such a wonderful story.

The show is currently SOLD OUT! But, if history has taught us anything, it’s that an extension could be on the way…

For more information, and to see about possible extensions, visit them at: http://www.thenestshow.com/