Broken Nose Theatre Presents PRIMER Review — Property or People?

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Mary, first floor manager of Brady’s, a department store in Chicago, says this as she staples packets together with Jerrod, a security guard. The night before, a group of protesters smashed the entire first floor to pieces. Angry with the company’s lack of diversity and inclusion, those protesters and Mary hope for massive change. As if a centuries-old, hope-filled dam had been burst, Mary speaks rapidly about the events of last night.

Jerrod, on the other hand, is hesitant. He has no opinion. Irritation laces Mary’s voice at Jerrod’s indecision. She commands his attention and tells him not to interrupt her. To her, sitting on the fence about an event like this is dangerous, especially when so many lives are at stake. Mary’s fierce dedication and fervor compels our attention.

We Are Drawn into Broken Nose Theatre’s Story

We hear glass crunching underfoot, and later we hear receipt paper being ripped apart. The muffled voices of people speaking on the phone and people clearing their throats in a silent conference room help us imagine the environment of the story. These sound effects might seem like small pieces of Primer, but they help us to see the story in our minds. Like this reviewer, you too may feel as if you are really in the glass-strewn first floor of Brady’s. For a play as earth-shattering as this one, these layers of sound make the final piece that much more real.