“Take over the world in this game of strategy conquest….”

World domination is difficult when you can’t easily leave your armchair, let alone your home. But with Garfield’s broken hip and his visiting grandson on house arrest, what better thing to do than play an engrossing game of Risk? Kristen Da Silva’s The Rules of Playing Risk is an intergenerational dramedy full of laughs, sighs, and tears. Deftly directed by Sheila McCarthy, and helmed by the incomparable Scott Wentworth, The Rules of Playing Risk is a fitting addition to the Here For Now Theatre season.

Garfield has had a “spell,” which is tough guy for heart attack, while driving. Until he heals from his accident, Garfield is under the care of Maggie, a caring and funny PSW. One day while Maggie’s over, Garfield receives a letter that his grandson Brandon is coming to stay for the summer while he’s on house arrest. Full of questions and uncertainty, Garfield allows Brandon to come and stay with him, despite having not seen him since he was a baby. The two bond over the board game Risk, a gift from Maggie, and suddenly neither sentence of house arrest feels as daunting as it once did.

Bachelor pad vibes feels like an understatement in describing Patricia Reilly’s set design. With a pile of halloween decorations in one corner, handmade blankets on each sitting surface, and a large armchair that screams “you’d better not be sitting there, that’s MY chair,” it does give the sense that Garfield doesn’t really live there, he just sort of exists in the space. We find out that much of what’s visible in his house has been there since he took it over, and though it’s been years he’s really only added a few things, like his own record collection, to the pre-accumulated stuff. Garfield’s firehouse shirts are other vestiges of his former life which he can’t be without. While Brandon’s Eevee-evolve backpack and headphones constantly around his neck easily indicate his age. The smocks from which Maggie gets her nickname are as vibrant as she is.

“Depending on the roll of the dice, a player will either defeat the enemy or be defeated.”

The title of the play is beautifully multi-faceted, not only referring to the game itself, but to the risks the characters take throughout the story. Garfield is taking huge risks with his health; every grain of salt brings him one step closer to another “spell.” But there’s also the risks he’s taking in having Brandon stay with him: he doesn’t know why his grandson was arrested, nor does he really know how Brandon’s been raised all these years, so he truly has a stranger walking into his home. However, the biggest risk which all three characters must face is opening up to one another, and not in a superficial way, in an honest and raw way. They’ve all been hurt deeply in their lives, and all three are connected by Garfield’s deceased son, so they know that to be the level of vulnerable they need to be, they’re opening themselves up to more of that same hurt. Yet it’s through that shared pain and concern that they’re able to truly connect.

Scott Wentworth shines as Garfield; with a tough exterior and a sarcastic glance which speaks volumes, Wentworth is a powerhouse. Dominic Moody certainly holds his own as Brandon, with a perfectly teenage aloofness which softens into genuine care. Though Moody’s no stranger to the stage, I’m already eagerly anticipating future projects from this bright, young actor. Lauren Bowler rounds out this fabulous cast as Maggie. Bowler’s comedic timing is spot on, and yet her moments of vulnerability are equally as profound. The ever-shifting dynamic between these three feels tangible in the moment, yet you can tell they’re having plenty of fun at the same time.

“And remember, when it comes to taking over the world, it’s all about who is willing to take the biggest Risk.”

What risks will you take? Apply for that job, reach out to that friend, or simply tell someone how you’re actually feeling? Whether it’s taking over Finland, or bonding with your grandparent/grandson, The Rules of Playing Risk shows us that the biggest risks yield the greatest rewards.

The Rules of Playing Risk plays at Here For Now Theatre until August 16. For more information and tickets, visit : https://www.herefornowtheatre.com/rulesofplayingrisk

Quotes obtained from Hasbro’s website: https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-us/instruction/Risk-Game

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Cover Photo: Dominic Moody and Scott Wentworth. Photo by Ann Baggley.

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