Bree Pavey in "Will You Save Them?" Photo by J. D. Ramage.

The title of Bree Pavey's original horror play, "Will You Save Them?", playing at the Loft Ensemble, may seem misleading: no one in this show is "saved". Upon deeper reflection, however, the saving does not occur between a third party and a victim, but between the victim and their victimizer. In this play, the torturers are "saved" by inflicting pain on another human, and the victims are "saved" through the pain inflicted upon them. "Will You Save Them?" explores the bond formed between victims of torture and between victims and their torturers. 

"Will You Save Them?" tells the story of four random individuals who are tortured physically and psychologically by a mysterious cult looking for a new member. Pavey's characters are masterfully written, particularly the female characters. Gretchen (Michaela Kahan), the Strong Female Character is surprising relatable, and Kahan's performance alone makes this show worth watching. In a clever twist, the uptight and naive  Aileen (Deborah Baker Jr.), is also a single mother, and, Delphine (Bree Pavey), the female torturer is delightfully complex. Cameron Hastings Britton also delivers a strong performance as the torturer Peter, a gentle giant gone bad, slightly reminiscent of Lenny from "Of Mice and Men."

As a horror play, "Will You Save Them?" is moderately effective. At its most terrifying, the show utilizes flickering lights and alternates between eerie silence and spastic bursts of noise. In the opening scene, the audience feels Gretchen's terror when her power goes out and she hears scuffling noises from the corner of her garage. The sheer bizarreness of some of the torture tactics depicted are chillingly salient, and will linger with the viewers long after they leave the theater. The inherent creepiness of the space, an abandoned butter factory turned theater, is utilized to great effect.

Unfortunately, just as many scenes, even some that are graphically gory, are unintentionally comical. In one such scene, with no context whatsoever, the stage lights turn on, a man is lying on a table, Peter saws his arm off, and the lights go down. In many scenes characters talk or scream repetitively over each other, which initially creates sensory overload, but becomes laughable by the end of the play. Similarly the loud punk and screamo of the soundtrack overwhelms at first, but eventually left the feeling of being in a moshpit.

The lowest point of "Will You Save Them?" is a gratuitous scene of attempted rape, as well as other implications of sexual violence. None of the programs warn for this. This act does not make the scene any scarier, except for audience members who are triggered by it.

These flaws, however, are mitigated by the actors' impressive performances, Pavey's attention to detail, and the intimate, unique venue. "Will You Save Them?" is uneven, yes, but it's the kind of show that does not need to be flawless to challenge and engage audiences. Those seeking a horror show that makes you think should definitely give "Will You Save Them?" a shot.

"Will You Save Them?" is playing through November 2 at the Loft Ensemble (929 E 2nd St, Unit 105). Tickets are $18. Mature Audiences only. Contains graphic violence. For more information visit www.LoftEnsemble.com.

Contact Contributor Laura Vidale here.

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