Trigger dares to tread in the valley of rage. I really enjoyed the explorations of race and privilege juxtaposed with ancient gods, mythology, and current neuroscience. Theatrically, I was compelled by the symbolic symptoms that peppered the story, increasing my anxiety by physicalizing the deepening mood. The dialogue unfurls as sharp, nuanced, and unadorned. I like a play where gods walk at the same time as coffee is poured; there’s a strong vibe that absolutely anything could happen next. This one will leave you taking deep breaths.

As I’ve come to discover about Chanse’s writing, there is a surreal, heightened quality to this text that has caused it to stick with me since I first read it this past spring. Much of it comes from the character of Gods, a manifestation of the anger-related deities that come up in the protagonist’s research, and whose appearances really connect the narrative thematically. Gods’ presence gives the main character psychological depth and poeticizes everyone’s anger, giving the script a linguistic and rhythmic richness that feels distinct.