Throughout the late 20th century, there have been few social groups as misunderstood and maligned as the nerds. Considered to be social outcasts, their love of escapist fantasy and sci-fi has remained a defining feature that you’ll either love or hate. In the case of She Kills Monsters, playwright Qui Nguyen has done the unthinkable and found a connection between escapism and some greater deep emotion. What follows is a comedy that may be full of clever props and special effects, but don’t let the manic sword-fighting and 90s soundtrack distract from what’s really at stake. It’s the story of one sister coming to terms with her deceased sibling, a nerd in her own right. It’s through entering the Dungeons & Dragons world that love is truly understood and the greater meaning of family and identity begins to surface.
Despite the advertising being high on dragons and brimstone, don’t expect that from She Kills Monsters’ protagonist. As the voice-over quickly establishes, Agnes Evans (Deva Marie Gregory) is not a nerd. She’s described as boring, a teacher at a nearby school where she seeks guidance from a counselor. The more intriguing character Tilly (Fiona Burrows) is seen as an obnoxious eccentric, wielding swords and doing everything to annoy her sister. This goes on until one day Agnes suggests that she wants her life to be interesting and gets the ironic hand of fate when her entire family dies. This leaves behind a lot of emptiness and questions, especially around a cryptic D&D book that can only be understood by an employee at the nearby comic book store named Chuck (Derek Delmar).
For audiences thinking that Agnes’ descent into fantasy will be difficult for casual types, it’s not. While it may revel too much in archetypes and tropes of fantasy role-playing, the heart of each character is recognizable. Most of them are young adults using the realm to figure out certain fantasies both perverse and cathartic. There will be plenty of recognizable nerd jokes here, such as watching Friends or getting caught up in euphemistic references to D&D. It’s silly and a nice parallel to the deeper emotions that form as the story continues. As the characters, both real and fictional, move further into the narrative there’s more investment in emotion and by the final stretch it’s to Nguyen’s credit that it captures the familial core necessary to resonate. It goes beyond fantasy and finds why people role-play to begin with. There is some freedom in it, but it’s also a chance to experience a life not lived.
A lot of credit should be given to the crew members of Long Beach Playhouse. Given the limited space, it’s impressive what they achieved. Most of their shows generally require less stage navigation and changes than what is present here. With some digital projections and colorful lighting, the stage becomes a mesmerizing fantasy world. They even incorporate the back of the stage as supernatural villains (including a giant blob of Jello) enter with a certain amount of surprise. Even if aspects of the show feel dated, notably the over-reliance on 90s music, there’s something admirable to putting on this show with as much passion and craft as possible. Even the costuming feels perfect for each character, allowing them to perform some fairly impressive sword fighting at different points. While it’s speculative as to whether Long Beach Playhouse has done better shows, one could argue that this is a promising sign of where they can go. It’s their most technically proficient show that I’ve personally seen and it goes a long way to making it a worthwhile experience.
Each cast member does a good job of bringing their roles to life. Burrows especially works at navigating between complicated emotions and trying to mesh with her nerdy co-stars. Her slow assimilation into the group allows everyone else’s comedic decisions to land with more bravura. With plenty of recurring gags, the show manages to be a delightful ode to the absurdity that D&D sessions usually come with. It’s not always about nuance, but just being able to free yourself of the problems of the real world. What ultimately emerges from the quest is the joy of friendship and finding ways to process complicated subtext regarding relationships both platonic and sexual. There’s being able to act out fantasies of defeating bullies and saving your crush. For a show that could skid by on winking humor, She Kills Monsters excellently finds the pathos necessary to make this more than pandering.
To some extent, this is one of the shows that cannot fully break through in terms of accessibility. Those who would be confused by dragons and brimstone may find a lot of the action and humor a bit over the top. It’s also a nostalgic journey that has been imitated in the decade since its initial production and thus may seem a bit dated. Still, it’s hard not to admire what this show does right. Whether it’s the fantastic production values or a swift execution of the ending, there’s a lot to like about this show. It’s far more than a nostalgic journey into the radical 90s. It’s about the value that one gets from nostalgia and fantasy. Not everyone will understand it, but those who see this show may be able to come away with a greater appreciation for why some continue to find happiness in it.
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