Production Review: Gruesome Playground Injuries

Time for another venture into reviewing a live performance! Just like last time, I had the pleasure of seeing an absolutely fantastic show that you can't see because I saw it at the end of its run. Hopefully this doesn't turn into a trend. But what can you do?

Also like last time, I feel the need to disclose that a friend of mine was involved in the production (specifically the set creation). But I trust everyone here to know that if I didn't like the show I just wouldn't have reviewed it (or I would have had fun tearing it apart).

Okay. With that out of the way, let's get into it!

Pictured: The thing I was talking about. Keep up.

On November 8, 2024 I attended one of the final performances of Gruesome Playground Injuries, a play written by Rajiv Joseph that was initially published in 2012. This specific production was done at Art House, an art/performing arts company based in Jersey City, New Jersey.

I'll tip my hand early: To say that the production was "great" would be like saying that water is "somewhat necessary for life."

The play's lone characters are Doug and Kayleen, two people who have a nasty habit of getting themselves hurt in titular-ly gruesome ways (well, mostly Doug). Starting in the nurses office of a school, Doug and Kayleen meet as Kayleen has a particularly sensitive stomach while Doug decided to drive his bicycle off the school roof in an attempt to mimic the stunts of Evel Knievel, resulting in trauma to the forehead. Instead of recoiling in disgust, Kayleen instead finds the whole situation intriguing, even asking to touch the wound. And so a lifelong relationship through comas and involuntary grippy sock vacations begins.

Pictured: Evel Knievel (presumably describing a jump he would be doing).

Now, I'm not really going to go on describing the story since, after some research, it appears that this play has been produced a few times (example, another example) and it probably will be produced again if I had to guess. But the themes of the show cut deep, hitting on how people in each other's orbit can often not fully appreciate the depth and importance of their relationship in the moment. I quite like how Art House House Manager Andrea Morin phrased it when we were chatting after the show (I'm paraphrasing a little): "It's a show about how we self-destruct, how we hide it and how we help each other through it without judgment."

But onto the things about this production that won't carry into other productions!

Aside from the stellar performances from Ashley Renée-Scott and Mario C. Brown, the production's set choices were quite interesting. Most storefronts selling the play for production note that the set is "flexible", which makes sense given the narrative driven and non-linear script. In this production, a lone hospital bed was all that adorned the stage and was used in incredibly creative ways as a striking visual. Along the sides of the audience were gigantic bandages, which were used as screens for visual projections through the show (but mostly during the brief costume changes between each scene).

Pictured: Again, the thing I was just talking about. Seriously!

So, overall, I quite liked this play and this specific production. If you get a chance to see it elsewhere, I'd recommend that you do so. But I'd also recommend checking out Art House because I have a feeling that this is not a fluke for them.

Until next time!