The Play

You are the director of a play on the final dress rehearsal before opening night. In other words, it's your last chance to get it all right before the story is set in stone before the critics.

This was interesting and well-written. The three actors were well-defined, and if the stagehand felt a little less so, it was only because she did not have quite as much screen time. There is a backstory that can be explored if one so desires; it fleshes out the main story, though it is not absolutely necessary for completion. More than anything, I appreciate how seamlessly the story segments flow together, so that the end result may be read as a single work of static fiction, never mind the number of choices one has had to make to hammer it into this shape. In a way, the game is calling us to participate in the creation of the story.

I also appreciate stories that are about juggling egos and finding the diplomatic path through warring personalities. It's the sort of thing that one does not see very often in Interactive Fiction.

So, what can I say? It's short, but essentially flawless for what it sets out to do, and lovingly presented. I question the advisability of encouraging improvisation when one is within twenty-four hours of opening night, but I suppose that's artistic license for you.

Crepes with strawberries and fresh cream. Strong black coffee.