←Recommendations of Pangea (Part Two of The Second World Trilogy)

A beautiful play about a doomed romance between two deeply nerdy men who are passionate about trying to save the collapsing world as well as each other. Though it is somber in places as it deals with an apocalyptic future, it is also extremely funny, Sickles never loses sight of the glee that these characters take in each other and the natural world around them.

Pangea is meant to work as a standalone play, but if you’re on NPX anyway (and you are), reading Marianas Trench first is definitely the way to go.

The world building in this play is off the charts, but Scott Sickles never loses focus of the relationship between his two protagonists at the heart of this play. When the world is going down in flames, the hand you hold matters. Or will humanity be saved?

On to part three!

My first reading of Pangea after working on Marianas Trench with Scott was EPIC. ‘Trench sets up this poetic image of Teddy reaching from the bottom of the ocean upwards to the sky, waiting for his heroic Anzor to rescue him and I could feel the agonizing power of that image pulsing in my heart as I got into Pangea’s first scene, where, in quintessential Scott fashion, we go from what looks like a simple hookup to the discovery of long-lost love. I love to see Lincoln and Andy experience the "submersible" and we get to see penguins!

Scott Sickles continues his masterfully written dystopian vision that began in "Marianas Trench." Lincoln and Anzor, now Andy, lost contact when they were eleven and Anzor managed to escape the fascist red-state New Confederacy. Now as 38-year-olds they finally reconnect, in Antarctica, where Lincoln is a researcher and Andy is an astronaut on a top-secret project. There they have a front-row seat to witness the beginnings of environmental Armageddon. Does the earth have a future? Do Lincoln and Andy? Do the penguins? Powerful as part of a trilogy, "Pangea" also stands alone. It's unforgettable.

PANGEA reintroduces us to the 11-year-old protagonists of MARIANAS TRENCH, now both adults and accomplished in their respective scientific fields. That these two survived, both physically and in terms of their love, is quite a relief. But their emotional, hopeful reunion is set against the doubtful survival of the planet. Another beautifully crafted story from Scott Sickles. And although I can’t help but think of this in relation to the first play in his trilogy, PANGEA absolutely stands on its own. I don’t know where the final chapter will take me, but I’m ready to go.

This is definitely a stand alone play from Marianas Trench, but it sure makes your investment in Andy and Lincoln that much deeper. This is full of tension, heartbreak yet still, a little hope. This is a very believable dystopian future, but the love the characters have for each other and the hope they have for possibly saving the world, as small as it might be, keeps you riveted and invested throughout. Action, adventure, romance and many climate change warnings that will hopefully be heeded before this becomes all too true.

After reading Marianas Trench, I was desperate to see what happens to the two wonderful, deep characters Teddy and Anzor. Here they meet up in the most unlikeliest of locations and soon fall for each other. But just like the scenario for the Earth Scott has created, forces attempt to drive them apart once more. This is indeed a worthy sequel, if not better, which is difficult to decide when the first play is so beautiful. Now I need to find time to read the last in the trilogy!

Holy crap! This is a damn good play. The characters are masterfully constructed and delivered with a perfect combination of reverence and reality. This play makes the writer in me jealous while the theater lover in me rejoices. I can’t wait to read the third installment of this trilogy!

Pangea continues the incredible story of Teddy and Anzor, but in the future. Scott Sickles brings you into this seemingly chance encounter and unwraps what you hope is unwrapped while leaving what is feared on the horizon, looming, waiting. Scott weaves this beautiful love story while also embracing the essential human elements to tell his story. Humor, fear, anger, love, it's all here and then some. My favorite author has always been Michael Crichton, his depictions of science fiction always feel real and tangible. Scott Sickles is the Michael Crichton of playwrights.

Scott says that while this set of plays is meant to be a trilogy, each story is meant to stand on its own and by god this story does. This piece will throw aside all your skeptisisms about sequels. Scott's brilliant building blocks of brilliantly created characters, terrifying surroundings and a complex but beautiful relationship, they are all just as present here as they were in part one. I read this piece in one sitting because I was struck by a desperation to know how it will end and I know an audience will feel the same way.