Play

Plane wrecks, sole survivors and National Transit Safety Board members don’t make a great… Plane wrecks, sole survivors and National Transit Safety Board members don’t make a great setup for a romance, but that’s not stopping City Theatre.

Its latest play, ‘Human Error,’ explores the complex subjects of life, love and error in the midst of a tragic plane wreck.

‘Despite the fact that it’s about a plane crash, it’s pretty hopeful,’ said director Tracy Brigden about Keith Reddin’s grimly humorous play.’

The story puts complex emotions on the runway, exploring the romance of two people completely unsuited for one another, Miranda and Erik, two National Transit Safety Board investigators who meet at the scene of a plane crash site. The play goes from the crash site to the hotel bar to the bedroom.

The plot is a bit contrived. Coming off the heels of a national emergency, it seems strange that love could be found in the depths of an airplane’s mechanical failure.’

And furthermore, that it could be found in a one-night stand at the hotel bar over a ‘black box’ sort of drink. Yet, Erik’s secrets and needs, and Miranda’s discovery are so real that the audience can commiserate with their own human errors.’

Ron, the sole survivor of the crash, provides the two fleeting lovers with an understanding of what it really means to have loved and lost.’

‘This sounds like a somber play, but it’s really a comedy. It’s pure Roselyn and Russell or Kerry Grant that’s just smart,’ said Brigden

The characters ask us to look beyond their circumstances and into how they explore their own errors, and how they live with them. Even in the event of a plane crash. Ron, played by Ray Thomas, shows the other characters how to survive, even when everything just crashes to the ground.

Keith Ridden, the playwright, has been an integral part of the work. Spending time with the actors, he has helped them get into character. According to Brigden, Erik, played by Matt Walton, is ‘a rare thing: a really good looking guy, who’s also really funny.’

Tasha Lawrence, who has worked for City Theatre before, plays Miranda. Brigden said she is ‘perfect for this role.” Together with the playwright and artistic director, the actors have had ample help finding inspiration and bringing out their own histories in their characters.

‘When you rehearse and it’s a comfortable place, the actors feel safe enough to explain this ex-boyfriend, or this terrible date … these things contribute to the fabric of their characters,’ Brigden said. Having the playwright play a part in these discussions can be incredibly healthy for the development of the play.’

Brigden is ultimately concerned with asking the audience to look beyond the fear that so often captures our lives.

‘We’re not safe. We spend billions of dollars trying to be safe, and this play is about realizing that we cannot always live in fear and protection. Otherwise, what’s the point?’ asked Brigden.

As many prepare to graduate, trying to make their own lives fly, they might do well to check out this play. Finding out what to do when it all crashes down might be a good ‘just in case’ scenario to run through your mind.