The Mothman Cometh from Whisper Theatre Collective, starring Richie Schiraldi (who we were lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here), is a unique theatrical experience that encourages audiences to embrace their darkness in order to overcome whatever is holding them back. Told entirely from the perspective of the legendary cryptid and featuring simply a pair of red glowing goggles, Richie is able to command not just the stage but also the audience through this one-of-a-kind ‘therapy’ session, with the perfect amount of hilarious moments sprinkled throughout.
Based on the original cameos of the Mothman character from The Broken Planet Show (which we recently chatted to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here), the show follows an unusual sighting of this harbinger as the Mothman himself tries to recruit an army of followers while encouraging them to explore what they are truly afraid of so they can become better warriors in life. What is particularly interesting about this production is the fact that it is uniquely set entirely in darkness, with Richie performing on stage simply with red glowing goggles. This forces him to go above and beyond to capture and maintain the audience’s attention from the very first moment he steps onto the stage. As the audience cannot fully see this character being brought to life, the responsibility of transporting them into this eccentric setting relies heavily on Richie. This means that he has to flex his performance talents as he portrays immense, over-the-top physicality and even a range of vocal performances (which were always met with wonderful reactions from the audience) to help ensure the audience can easily follow along with whatever is happening.
The show itself contains ample opportunities for audience participation, with the crowd being asked a series of questions and even being invited to join the Mothman on stage to take part in a series of unique activities, all in a bid to overcome some of their fears. At one point in the show, the cryptid directly asks the audience about their biggest fears as they explore exactly why some of those things instil fear. This led to Richie inviting someone in the crowd onto the stage to imagine going on a picnic together, where they are met by an intimidating large black ant (which was suggested by the audience). The special guest then has to directly deal with this audience-generated fear in an attempt to overcome it. Not only was this a hilarious interaction, as the guest had to improvise their responses, but it was also a practical demonstration of how we can take steps to overcome whatever it is that we are scared of in our day-to-day lives. This is obviously a helpful tool that may help people outside of the theatre, which is fantastic! To the surprise of absolutely no one who knows me in real life, I also found an opportunity to get onto the stage as the Mothman goes on a quest to find the mythical light bearers to defeat the villainous void that is threatening to eat the audience and therefore end the show. Two other people and I had to answer a series of outlandish questions (such as, if we shared a flat, what would you do when I go out, and what do you do when you feel lonely?). This was a period of unpredictability, as not only did we not know what questions The Mothman would direct at us, but we also had to improvise entertaining responses. In a shocking twist, it was revealed that all three of us were the appointed ones and, in fact, the entire audience had the power to fight against the void. This was obviously a powerful message about the fact that every single person possesses a sense of light and power that can be utilised to fight against whatever we are struggling with in our day-to-day lives.
In conclusion, The Mothman Cometh by Whisper Theatre Collective, starring solely Richie Schiraldi, is a unique theatre experience that is crammed full of hilarious and outlandish moments, with the underpinning message of embracing both the darkness and light in your life. As a performance, Richie uses his plethora of skills and talents to not only ensure the audience are entertained but also help them easily follow along with this unusual experience. This production is unlike anything I have ever seen before, as it is entirely bathed in darkness, which makes sense in the environment we would theoretically find the Mothman. It also gives the crowd a sense of anonymity to encourage them to share their deepest, darkest fears and therefore allows Richie to provide effective and practical tips on how to overcome them. I would rate this production 5 out of 5 stars!
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