The Game to Play
- Matthew D. Foster
- Dec 8, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
“The Game To Play” is a compact piece that feels larger than its twenty-five-minute frame. From the opening moment, Iryna Scarola builds a slow burn of thriller-like tension that steadily expands into something far more lyrical. Her rebirth dance sequence is the highlight of the work. It is haunting, fluid, and charged with a sense of transformation that stays with you long after the lights shift.
Scarola leads us through a near-death experience inside a hospital, then pulls the audience into a surreal return to the womb before emerging again into the world. The structure forms a full loop that is both satisfying and disorienting in the best way. I was fully engaged by minute one.
If anything, the piece needs more time. The core ideas are rich, but the character at the center remains partly out of reach. Who was she before the coma? What becomes of her after this symbolic rebirth? The unanswered questions point to material that could deepen the impact even further.
Director Brooke Tyler Benson deserves credit for shaping the piece with clarity and restraint. The staging amplifies Scarola’s performance without overwhelming it. It's no wonder this show received a standing ovation.
Performed on November 19 at The 19th Annual United Solo Theatre Festival October 14 through November 23, 2025
Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, NYC)
Matthew is an award-winning playwright and actor! While he loves being on the stage and writing theatrical-thought-provoking-innovational plays, his passions follow him backstage as well! As a student studying business and consulting for entertainment at the School of Professional Studies, CUNY, BBA. Matthew is honored to work on this special showcase full of talent and hardworking individuals. He's selected previous theatrical experience includes Those Who Remained at La Mama E.T.C. (Producer, Props), BMCC CUNY (stage management and performance degree), The Lake (Playwright), and Earth (playwright). He is extremely grateful for the mentors and individuals, and organizations that have given him his resources and support to keep theatre alive. @matthew.d.foster
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