“Spaceman” reviewed by Julia W. Rath

** The wildly imaginative and gorgeously executed “Spaceman” is a one-of-a-kind show. Skillfully directed by Eric Slater, the play mimics the experience of space travel and how it might feel to be an astronaut traveling to Mars. Ashley Neal brilliantly plays astronaut Molly Jennis in a largely solo performance for over ninety minutes, where she demonstrates anxiety, physical illness, and the need for company. By talking to herself, she shares her emotions with the audience. Above all, she interacts with voices over her control panel, the most important of which is her “mission buddy” Jen (Sadieh Rifai V.O.), a computerized A.I. voice, designed to follow her commands and provide necessary advice and counsel when called upon. Another essential voice is that of Houston/Rob (Slater), who is guiding her mission from earth.

The various moods evoked in this play are nothing short of outstanding. I relished the lovely meditative/science fiction-type music as we assembled into the theatre. It created a soothing ambiance in sharp contrast to the sensations of blastoff and landing, which have been crafted so authentically. I especially loved watching the appearance of weightlessness, an illusion created in the person of puppeteer Allie Torres, who stands in shadow around Molly and constantly moves objects around in the background (such as a fan, a plant, and even her compact and lipstick) so that they appear to float in the air. Plus, Molly’s surroundings are amazing. I especially adored her astronaut chair: cleverly designed from a beauty parlor chair. Immense credit must go to Taylor Dalton, who is in charge of the set and prop design. Dalton is also in charge of the genuine-looking costumes, which include an orange-red NASA flight suit (with blue trim) and a realistic self-contained white space suit, complete with a helmet that lights up in the dark.

Lighting designer Garrett Bell has done an incredible job with so many different and remarkable lighting effects: too many to count. These effects start even as we walk into the small black box theatre, with rays of white light emanating from various areas of the room. The blues to mimic space and the amazing red for takeoff and landing could not have been done any better, not to mention the white to indicate possible forms of life other than our own. Additionally, one of Molly’s com panels lights up too. Then there is the projection of a person in space, which finds its way onto the playbill cover. The show could win lighting awards! Sound by Angela Joy Baldasare is perfect to create the illusion of space travel, such as the ambient sound that one might hear on board an airplane, not to mention all the different voices coming in via the com and all the sound effects of distress and disaster when things go awry.

Despite the presentation being so novel and so painstakingly detailed, the Chicago premiere is not yet ready for the “big time.” The problem has to do with the bones of the story, not the gloss. Leegrid Stevens’ script is underdeveloped and needs considerable work. Let’s start with the overall premise. Inasmuch as an audience is expected to suspend disbelief while watching a science fiction drama, there still needs to be some basis in realism. NASA would never allow any astronaut today to travel alone outside of earth’s atmosphere, what’s more to Mars. The space agency would want several astronauts on board a capsule so that they might work together on various tasks but also as a backup for each other, especially in the event of an emergency. Think about the financial investment that our government has put into exploring outer space. It makes no sense to rely on only one astronaut as compared to a team, where the creative input of multiple people is essential for a successful flight.

The show is never boring, as we are always waiting for what might happen next. Yet it can be somniferous. Here, we take the cue from Molly herself, who falls asleep so hard that she doesn’t hear Houston’s alarm to wake her up. While it is interesting to watch the psychological effects of loneliness while being up in space and the turmoil whenever something goes wrong with the spacecraft, none of this makes up for the fact that there is not enough tension in this story. Of course, the audience gains some mild amusement when we watch Molly root for her favorite sports team. We think about how she might miss her family on earth. We share her sadness when she thinks about her lost lesbian lover, whose body was never found. The play also asks profound questions about where we might go when we die and what death might mean. Can there be love after death? But the whole narrative needs to be better set up from the onset. Something is missing. Except for a bit of a dive into the spiritual world, Molly is not curious enough about the vastness of space or about the prospects of confronting alien life. What does she anticipate for her journey? What does she think she might find on Mars once she gets there? The story needs to become more of an action/adventure so as to hold our interest. At the very least, maybe she needs to ask her “mission buddy” Jen what to expect when she finally arrives at her destination.

Then there are the piddly details: Would a plant exist in minus 9 degrees? Could Molly withstand the thinner atmosphere on Mars and the low gravity without wearing a space suit? And lastly, why was this play not called “Spacewoman”, considering that Molly identifies as female?

While it is my job to review a show (and not necessarily to recommend how it ought to be improved), I will offer one important suggestion that could help solve several issues with the storyline. Instead of having Molly embark alone on a real voyage in order to be the first human being on Mars, the story would make better sense if she were to fall asleep and have a dream about going into outer space. (This could be akin to Dorothy’s dream in “The Wizard of Oz.”) Molly’s incredible fantasy could then be about almost anything that might happen while traveling to the red planet and beyond, and she could simultaneously go forwards and backwards in time. She could be in a situation just like the Mercury astronauts from the 1960s (for example, Alan Shepard or John Glenn), whose one-man venture in a space capsule afforded them the opportunity to explore the human condition from a unique vantage point. At the same time, she can project herself, say, into the year 2040 and imagine what a trip to Mars might feel like. Moreover, by adding the whimsical and irrational element of nighttime oblivion, Molly’s story turns into a more exciting inner journey as well as an outer journey with no bounds: She can dream up her mother or her children or her lost lover or even her deceased dog—and hopefully some aliens and almost anything else. Thus, by casting aside the idea that “Spaceman” is about an actual voyage, the play ironically becomes more realistic. At the end of the night, Molly could wake up from her slumber and come to the realization that she has been asleep and dreaming. When she discovers that she has slept through the sound of her alarm clock, it’s back to reality again.

Basically, “Spaceman” is pleasant enough to sit through, but the script needs improvement. I would be gratified to see the next draft being produced on stage, together with all of the wonderful acting, puppetry, and technical effects.

“Spaceman” is playing through June 13, 2026, at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater, 1133 W. Catalpa Avenue, in Chicago.

Ticket prices range from $15 to $45.

Performance schedule:

Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Sundays at 5:00 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.producingbody.com/.

Note that this is the first show which I’ve attended where cell phones were collected beforehand and stored in lead-lined pouches (as opposed to allowing patrons to take them into the theatre). I happen to like this policy for a number of reasons. The sound and the light from phones can be too much of a distraction for both the actors and the audience. The worst issue, in my opinion, is when people forget to turn off their phones after they’ve turned them back on during intermission. Then too, audience members are frequently told not to take a photo of the stage, but they do so anyway. Finally, I don’t care for the modern trend of encouraging audience members to click on a QR code for a virtual program. I prefer to look at a real playbill and have it included as part of the experience of attending a live performance.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Spaceman”.