'Ostrich in the Room' is an Ambitious World Premiere - Review
The Larking House Presents the World Premiere of 'Ostrich in the Room' running now through June 28, 2026.
The world premiere of ‘Ostrich in the Room’ by Seanan Palmero Waugh arrives as an ambitious avant-garde exploration of communication, relationships and the increasingly absurd ways people avoid truly hearing one another. Presented by The Larking House Theatre Company, the production combines high-energy performances, striking visual design and surrealist humor, though the script itself feels like a work in progress.
Set within a world that feels lifted from the early-1980s SoHo art scene, the play follows a lesbian couple identified simply as A and B. Jessica Schreiber portrays A, the intellectual and headstrong half of the relationship, while Rachel Bailey plays B, a woman guided more by emotion and instinct. After two and a half years together, the couple finds themselves at an emotional crossroads.
What begins as a simple disagreement over whether to attend A’s work party quickly spirals into a series of increasingly absurd confrontations. A wants to attend the party, while B has no interest in spending an evening playing Pictionary with strangers. To settle the matter, they engage in games of chess and checkers to determine the fate of their evening. Into this already bizarre dynamic enters an Ostrich, played by Coleman Blue Summers, who first attempts to recruit the pair into his political party before eventually evolving into something far more useless: their couples therapist.
As the conflict escalates, A ultimately decides she doesn’t want B accompanying her after all. Naturally, B becomes determined to attend the very event she previously wanted nothing to do with. Through these reversals and contradictions, Waugh explores a familiar relationship truth: everyone wants to be heard, but nobody seems interested in listening.
Schreiber, Bailey, and Summers are all tremendous performers who fully commit to the play’s unconventional world. Their dedication and energy help carry the production through some of its rougher narrative patches. Summers, in particular, embraces the absurdity of the title character while giving the role an unexpected sincerity.
There were, however, two recurring distractions throughout the performance. First, the volume level rarely varied, with conversations moving from loud to louder and only occasionally settling back to strictly loud. The emotional peaks consequently lose some of their impact when there is little room for escalation. Second, both Schreiber and Bailey constantly engaged with Summers directly in the face rather than focusing on the ostrich head perched above him, an inconsistency that distracted from the fowl character.
Director Jarid McCarthy keeps the show moving at a brisk pace, maintaining the consistently high level of energy throughout the evening. Grey Sol Tapia’s stage management, assisted by Ryan Joe Morgan and Vita Muccia, ensures the production one-hour run runtime guided along smoothly. Tony Sanchez once again delivers impressive scenic design work, while lighting designer Matthew M. Hayashi and assistant Zion Aguilar create an atmosphere that effectively supports the play’s surreal aesthetic.
Lizzy McCabe’s sound design evokes the neon-drenched, synth-heavy vibe of the 1981 film, ‘Liquid Sky’, perfectly complemented by Rowan Galleran’s unique costume design, which reinforces the show’s downtown art-scene sensibility. Feyara Bellefleur’s hair and makeup design provide the final touches that complete the production’s distinct visual identity.
From a production and performance standpoint, ‘Ostrich in the Room’ is worth checking out. The technical elements are strong, the performances are engaging and the creative team has crafted a memorable theatrical experience. The writing, however, remains the production’s weakest element. Many of the arguments fail to develop in a way that makes emotional or logical sense, leaving me disconnected from both A and B as they struggle to determine the future of their relationship.
Still, there are some good bones in there. With a few more rewrites and a sharper focus on character motivation, ‘Ostrich in the Room’ has the potential to evolve into something special.
‘Ostrich in the Room’ at The Larking House Theatre Company runs from now through June 28, 2026
To purchase tickets for ‘Ostrich in the Room’ at The Larking House Theatre Company visit: https://www.thelarkinghouse.com/event-details/ostrich-in-the-room-at-the-larking-house-2026-06-28-15-00.
The Larking House Theatre Company is located at:
Grand Central Art Center
125 N Broadway
Santa Ana, CA 92701
3 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐