Outside The March presents NO SAVE POINTS “A Play You Can Play”

I have been very fortunate in life to see hundreds of live theatre performances, but I can count on one hand how many one-person shows I’ve actually enjoyed; I’m happy to add “No Save Points” to that list.

“No Save Points” is a one-of-a-kind theatre production blending together storytelling and some of the latest in video game technology. It is an incredibly interactive piece, with the audience “playing the game” as the show progresses.

Co-director and lead actor Sébastien Heins does an incredible job telling us the true story of his mom, who when he was in his early 20s was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, a neuro-degenerative disease that has no cure, and not much you can do for care. Video games were an important part of Heins’ life, acting not only as a coping mechanism but also as a form of escape from his harsh reality. However, unlike a video game where you can save your place and shut down said to go back to where you saved it to try again, Heins had to deal with the harsh reality of his mom’s diagnosis and the uncomfortable realization that she may have passed it onto him.

Throughout the production, Heins’ attempts to emphasize elements of the story through the use of one of four video games which he gets the audience to participate in. I must say that Heins’ storytelling was incredible. He was able to switch characters in his story effectively, and fully commit to everyone. For Sébastien it’s an incredibly physical show, and I applaud him for his endurance. Considering how emotional of a story this is, Heins stays grounded the entire delivering the story incredibly well.

And now for what I’m sure you’re most curious about the technology. Throughout most of the show, Heins wears sensors attached to his body which vibrate to tell him what Choices the audience member(s) have made via a hacked Gameboy. In the first act, 4 audience participants (chosen for their varied video game skill levels) are given the power to control the actions of the actor and the multitude of characters he plays.

For the first bit of the show (the opening monologue and the first game) I was taken by the story and began being fascinated by the video game technology, but I must admit, it felt quite basic, like a really good Fringe show. There was no real use of set or costume changes, just Heins playing a dozen characters or so in a game where it is revealed to a medieval prince through a wizard that his mother has a monster in her, and he has a monster in him. He calls it his hopeful monster, probably because he doesn’t know if his monster is good or mean and evil like his mothers. The audience players are given several choices throughout the game, and can even die because of said choices (but don’t worry, this game has unlimited lives). I caught myself thinking, “Yeah this is nice…but is this really using the technology to the best of its abilities ?”. Turns out, that was just a warm-up for our audience players (and the audience) to sort of get used to the concepts of the story and the game.

The second game focused on a superhero who’s been attacked by a villain and now the citizens are unsure if they can function properly, however, a suit has been developed for the hero to move as they once did to be able to defeat the villain (or rather, try to). Everything in this game was elaborate, including a multi-level set in which Heins has to climb up and down several times in a short period of time to defeat evil skeleton henchmen while wearing a helmet and a jacket. Honestly, I was exhausted watching him. This is where the audience as a whole began to shout out loud trying to help the players up front while cheering for our hero.

The third game was by far the most impressive technology-wise, adding motion capture to the sensor suit in order to generate a live video game projected on the screen before us. It was cool, it was nail-biting at times but also exposed that one of the show’s biggest draws can also be its biggest weak points: the technology. The show’s video game master (not the actor) would run around the room bringing the Gameboy to audience members who raised their hands hoping to play the game. The person next to me raised their hand, was chosen, and looked really excited to give the technology a try…but it didn’t work. It seems like the further away from the stage you got, the weaker the signal was, meaning that people in the back were not guaranteed that they could actually play the game. This unfortunately created awkward moments where the show dragged on for a few moments, to which Heins instructed audience members to just yell out directions. This wasn’t a great moment, but Heins and the game master didn’t do their best to keep the show going.

The final game, interestingly enough, was my favourite. It took place in outer space, where after an asteroid storm causes critical damage to the ship’s oxygen supply, and the entire audience gets to participate in a “choose your own adventure” game outlining the character’s last day of life. This game was fun, even though it was low-tech, but allowed everyone to participate in a game despite their comfort level (I for one didn’t want to play the Gameboy because I felt nervous/pressured playing in front of an audience). However, this game also had what I think was the most emotional moment in the entire show. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, and I definitely teared up at the end.

“No Save Points” was a wonderful experience and creates a broad theatre experience for those who will enjoy the storytelling presented in the show just as much as the video game elements in the show. The show really was a beautiful tribute to Heins’ mother, and to his younger self. It’s a fascinating take on the immersive theatre experience, and I am excited to see what else Sébastien Heins and Outside The March have to offer in the near future. Tickets are still available for this incredible show and it closes on July 2nd, so don’t delay!

Watch the trailer for No Save Points below

Tickets for No Save Points are available for purchase here

No Save Points takes place at Lighthouse ArtSpace 1 Yonge St. from June 6- July 2

[Review by Shan Fernando]