Trois Anneaux
at Irvine

Reviewed on November 17, 2018

Emma Van Heeringen
Laguna Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

"Trois Anneaux" shines at Irvine High School
written by Emma Van Heeringen, a freshman at Laguna Hills High School

Circus madness grounded in heart-wrenching moments of reality perfectly describe Irvine High School's production of "Trois Anneaux". This original play is written by Kaz Shade, a student at IHS. Shade's brilliant story comes to life by showing how happiness can always be found by those who seek it.

When college-dropout Annie, portrayed by Naya Ostrea, comes to join the circus, she unintentionally stirs up conflict between all the other performers. She is the insecure new girl of the clan, and reflects her internal emotions by fidgeting, keeping her hands close to her body, and looking down at her feet.

Contrasting Annie, Grace Simmons brings sass and confidence to her character Zoe. Simmons unapologetically struts through the stage until she hits her breaking point. While impactfully dancing to her own choreography, Simmons gives a chilling performance at the circus while superbly moving the plot along at the same time.

Another stand-out performance is given by Jake Akita, as he takes on the immensely dynamic character of Charlie. He shows his range of emotions while being tragically devastated with the many curveballs of life that are thrown at him.

While the show has its dark undertones, Madame Cersei (Sarah Heil) is the comedic relief of the production. Her consistent Russian accent, weak back, and quirky giggle make her the wise, motherly influence that all the circus performers need to keep them grounded.

Lighting design is also wonderfully done by Sarah Heil. During the dancing scenes, the flashing lights emphasize the action on stage, as well as contributing to the overall excitement of the show. Also, the spotlights focusing in on the given actors in each scene made for easy transitions between each of the characters' many plotlines.

Additionally, makeup design for the circus performers was effective in showing the glitz and glamour of the circus business, while further establishing each character's unique personality traits. For example, Zoe wears glitter around her eyes to stress her role as the lead acrobat, and Annie wears a more natural look to re-emphasize her more innocent and youthful characteristics.

Through strong acting, lighting, and makeup, "Trois Anneaux" represents what high school theatre is all about at Irvine High School.

Ryan Puterbaugh
Beckman
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

Put a ring on Irvine's 'Trois Anneaux'

In the circus, life is as exhilarating and dangerous as the acts themselves. Twists, turns, and death-defying manipulations of the human form characterize the events both on and off the stage. In Irvine High School's production of "Trois Anneaux," relationships develop and deteriorate as a circus faces secrets that threaten its — and its performers' — very survival.

An original play by Irvine student Kaz Shade, "Trois Anneaux" is remarkably complex yet balanced. Numerous plots and subplots interweave and connect seamlessly throughout the entire show, demonstrating Shade's commendable ability to juggle differing topics, themes, and tones but still bring them all together in the end. While some scenes follow an almost repetitive two-people-talking structure, ultimately the clever dialogue — delivered equally cleverly by the cast — makes the time fly by. Shade manages to incorporate relevant social issues into the fabric of his play, including abusive relationships, LGBTQ representation, and child abandonment. These topics are not always the primary focus of the show, but they blend perfectly into the workings of the plot and serve it well when they are.

Not confining himself to the writing desk, Kaz Shade also takes to the stage as Sebastian, a circus sword dancer. There he brings light-hearted joy to the performance, especially in his blossoming romance with Adrianna (Sara Moinuddin). However, he also demonstrates sincere compassion as he cares for her after the traumatic fire that killed their friend and fellow performer, Zoe (Grace Simmons).

One stand-out performance is that of Sarah Heil as Madame Cersei. Through her heavy Russian accent and strained, hobbling physicality, she takes the role of a wise, motherly advisor, as per her job as a fortune teller, while simultaneously providing hilarious comedic relief. Indeed, Shade's writing allows for Cersei's readings to lend credence to her as a confidant to other characters, such as the new performer Annie (Naya Ostrea), who is actually the daughter of the circus's owner, Charlie (Jake Akita).

Interspersed throughout the show are brief dance numbers choreographed by Grace Simmons, all of which bring the characters' inner struggles to life. One number reveals the significance of the show's title, "Three Rings" in French, as the show's three main couples perform a romantic dance sequence.

Irvine's "Trois Anneaux" is a beautiful, captivating realization of a student's extravagant artistic vision.

Han Nguyen
Fountain Valley
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

Irvine's Trois Anneaux brings love and laughter

Set in the circus scene, Trois Anneaux, an original play by Irvine's very own Kaz Shade, explores the complex relationships between circus members and the hardships that they face together with strong themes of family, love, and betrayal. The cast and crew of Irvine High School splendidly bring Shade's vision to life with a performance rich in unrestrained passion. Together, they create moments so vividly reminiscent of real life that the heart and soul that each cast and crew member contributes is undeniable.

The man behind it all, Kaz Shade displays brilliance in the sheer eloquence of his words alone. For his first time as a playwright, it is an impressive feat to bring to light a vision so great in such a short amount of time. Shade is a student at Irvine, inexperienced in writing shows but for his first original play, he astounds and pleasantly surprises with deeply meaningful outlooks on life and witty humor. The creativity behind the play, in its anecdotal and all-encompassing of life symbolism, is prodigious. Shade evidently holds Trois Anneaux near and dear to his heart, as he even names characters after his own loved ones. The love found in the play itself comes from a place of love on its own.

Shade even plays a character in his own show. He manifests the awkward and endearing nature of Sebastian to a T. Furthermore, the comedic dynamic between him and Sarah Heil as Madame Cersei makes the duo the yearned for comic relief in otherwise foreboding scenes. They distract from predictions of major plot points to ensure jaw-dropping plot twists. Heil's rendition of the hilarious grandmother archetype is unique to both the play and her own remarkable skillset. Throughout the play, she never fails to bring laughter. Heil's impeccable Russian accent and humorous cackling threaten to crack the most stoic of all faces.

Upon closer inspection, Heil indeed looks elderly and not simply a high school student dressed in an old woman's clothes. The characteristic bold, avant garde looks of circus performers are applied as well. Makeup design and crew took many factors into consideration.
Likewise, the lighting utilizes many elements to showcase the raw emotion behind each scene. The bold and beautiful transition of colors and shadows are seemless.

For Trois Anneaux's world premiere, Irvine effectively brings a dream come true.