Amy Berryman's 'Walden' Challenges Climate Disasters with Sisterhood
- The play opened on Thursday at Second Stage Theater in Midtown Manhattan.
- It features twin sisters, both astronauts, facing a dystopian future where climate change has significant implications.
- The presentation of female leads in a science fiction context marks a significant narrative shift but faces critiques on its execution.
The Off Broadway play 'Walden' opened at the Second Stage’s Tony Kiser Theater in Midtown Manhattan, featuring Emmy Rossum and Zoë Winters as twin astronaut sisters. In a narrative set in a climate disaster dystopia, Earth has reached a critical point, leading NASA to hasten plans for Mars colonization. Cassie, the more adventurous sister, is poised to lead a Mars mission, while Stella, who retreated to a wilderness cabin after leaving NASA, grapples with her past and the implications of such an endeavor. The play presents a fresh perspective by focusing on female characters and their differing responses to catastrophic change, highlighting the complex dynamics of their relationship during a time of crisis. Though promising, the storytelling struggles to maintain conviction as it explores themes of survival, human depravity, and the quest for a new home amidst devastation.