Reno Stage Scene; ‘Toil and Trouble’ at Restless Artists Theatre Company

RAT presents Toil and Trouble; three millennials with little hope for the future hatch an ambitious plan in this homage to Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

~Review and Photos by Dana Nöllsch~

The Story: Toil and Trouble

In this dark comedy, Matt, Played by Nomar Mendoza, and Adam, played by Raymond A. Gallardo III, discuss what they will do now that they have graduated college. Neither of them has a real job or, in fact, money to pay the rent, so this discussion is quite lively. Adam has some quite ambitious ideas; one of them includes taking over a country.

Their friend Beth, played by Tesia Jankowski,  a junior sportscaster for a local news station, finds herself in the middle of this conversation. Beth is more conniving than the other two and sees her chance to take control in this search for power and money. Beth knows Matt is infatuated with her, and she can use this to her advantage.

Their diet consists of pizza, Asian food, and beer. The Asian food comes with fortune cookies, which are quite prophetic in their predictions for the trio’s future. These predictions fuel their desire for power and control. But first, they must address their desire for control over each other.

There are many parallels between this story and Macbeth, but perhaps a few more laughs in Toil and Trouble. As one would expect, there is indeed a murder and a little bit of blood, but it is all lighthearted and perhaps a bit slapstick at times. 

To answer your question, do they take over a country? You will have to see Toil and Trouble for yourself to find out.

Toil and Trouble is a fast-paced 90-minute play that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats and laughing out loud. 

Check out some more photos from Toil and Trouble

What About the Performances

Tesia Jankowski plays Beth with a dark, scheming undertone. Her portrayal of this pivotal character sets the mood in the second half of the play. She chillingly brings out Beth’s dark, evil side.

Nomar Mendoza plays Matt, who is a bit nerdy and very sensitive. Matt’s desire for Beth clouds his better judgment, and Mendoza excellently plays that aspect of Matt’s character.

Raymond A. Gallardo III plays Adam, the group’s idea man. Gallardo is delightful as the audience sees Adam devise one get-rich scheme after another, each a bit more ambitious than the next.

These three actors are excellent at playing off each other, especially in this dark comedy.

The Bottom Line

Toil and Trouble is an odd and fun play with dark humor and a hint of Shakespearian zest.