The curtain rises, as the audience settles in their seats, preparing for the journey in which they were about to witness.
Complete with a cast of alumni, LSU School of Theatre brings the fall semester to a close with “Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric play.” Directed by Steven Young, the play opened Nov. 9 in the Reilly Theatre.
“Honestly, I have no clue what I am about to watch. I heard that apparently it is about ‘The Simpsons,’ and I find that show hilarious. That’s why I am here,” said science junior Frank Moore.
The play is a dark comedy exploring the creation of the myths and legends our society holds valuable. Set during a day-after-tomorrow apocalypse, the plot provides a vision of America’s future. During the course of the play, the audience travels years into the future.
“I don’t know exactly what the plot was, or the setting,” said freshman Ali Carter. “It seemed to switch quite a bit, as one point I thought we were in the past, then we were years in an apocalyptic time.”
The storyline follows some man-made catastrophe that has completely destroyed the modern world, leaving it without electricity. With their ordinary lives gone, the remaining human beings take to survival mode.
In the opening scene, shortly after the unspecified apocalyptic event, a group of survivors huddles together on a dim light stage around a campfire. The survivors begin to recount their favorite episode of ‘The Simpsons,’ “Cape Feare,” attempting to remember the normalcy of their past lives. In the episode, Sideshow Bob plans to kill Bart Simpson, stalking him to a backwoods houseboat where Bart and his family are taking refuge.
The second act picks up with the same group seven years later, who have now formed a theatrical troupe that specializes in performing ‘Simpsons’ episodes, commercials and all. Many of the scenes are easily recognizable from the show, since the script utilized much of the television show’s script.
The last act is set 75 years later, and the same episode is once again reenacted — only this time, as a musical.
Though interesting, the play, seemed to be a tad repetitive and a little longer than most audience members deemed necessary.
“It was good. But did it have to be three acts of the same television show over and over again?” said sophomore Lisa Marellis.
The show closes Sunday.

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Michael Palmer

The play "Mr. Burns," presented by the LSU School of Theatre, is being performed at the Reilly Theatre Nov. 9 - Nov. 20.