The death of Edgar Allan Poe remains one of literature’s great
unsolved mysteries. Through music, movement, projections, and shadow play, this theatrical experiment follows Poe through a haunting and hallucinogenic re-imagining of his final nightmare. This exploration of the life, death, and legacy of Poe combines themes and characters from several of his most infamous stories and poems in “the story Poe never wrote.”
Review by Richard Lambert
Packing frenetic energy and hundreds of inventive ideas into a 60-minute musical production is no small feat, yet Edgar in the Red Room produced by The Skylock Project manages to do exactly that. The show hurtles forward with the thrilling momentum of a roller coaster locked securely onto a steel track — fast, occasionally breath-taking, but always held together with impressive technical control.
The sheer number of elements in play is striking. Live keyboard performance blends seamlessly with backing tracks; video projection and manual shadow work create shifting visual textures; sound effects, live singing, poetry, and dialogue weave in and out of one another. It’s a lot for an audience to absorb, but the production’s technical precision keeps everything coherent. Particular credit must go to the stage manager, whose cueing is relentless and leaves virtually no downtime — an unseen but crucial engine driving the evening.
Onstage, the cast show admirable commitment. Rapid costume changes, carefully handled props, and split-second timing are essential to making the show work, and they rise to the challenge with evident focus. Learning and delivering such detailed, tightly structured material deserves real recognition. The false moustaches telegraph that the production doesn’t take itself too seriously.
As the narrative unfolds, the story gradually settles into place, revealing an intriguing explanation for the dual performers portraying the titular Edgar Allan Poe. The piece leans into a haunting, gothic atmosphere — part horror, part grotesque fantasy — yet balances this darkness with a welcome thread of humour that stops it becoming overly heavy.
Ultimately, it makes for a highly entertaining evening: imaginative, slightly chaotic in an enjoyable way, and best appreciated if you let yourself go along for the ride rather than analysing every twist too closely.
CAST
Kilian Crowley
Maya June Dwyer
Moxie Dwyer
Sammy Overton
Morgan Smith
CREATIVE TEAM
Matt Chiorini and Greg Giovanini (writers, directors, music)
Maya June Dwyer (choreography)
Lindsey Voorhees and John Czajkowski (production design)
Kylee Galarneau (costume design)