Ammunition Theatre Company: A Unique Los Angeles Experience

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I was a participant in a game show recently… except the show didn’t take place on a Hollywood soundstage, but rather in a small theatre space at the Atwater Village Theatre. Judgement of Fools is one of the first projects of the newly formed Ammunition Theatre Company. If this production is any indication, future productions from Ammunition will be innovative and exciting and should put this company on your personal watch list where Los Angeles theatre is concerned.

Judgement of Fools didn’t have a 4th wall at all, instead utilizing the audience members as the driving force behind the show. Interactive theatre is not always my cup of tea, but it was appropriate for this particular piece. I went with a good friend, and we walked into the theatre with some trepidation (and a glass of wine in each of our hands!) Those nerves about audience participation were unnecessary, though, and we ended up having a great time with lots of laughs. We also made fast friends with other audience members, and ended up really enjoying the interactive nature of the show.

The show’s primary theme was the ways in which we judge each other (at one point, an audience member’s Facebook page was dissected by the cast) and how many of those judgements are based on unfair, biased, or uneducated foundations.

The show paid special attention to racism, which sparked interesting and important conversations among audience members and the cast. Speaking of which, the entire cast (lead by Karla Mosley as The Fool) does an excellent job infusing the production with the energy and improv skills that a concept like this requires.

It’s nice to leave a theatre feeling like you’ve seen something fresh and unique, especially in Los Angeles where theatre doesn’t always get the attention it should. Kudos to this new company for choosing risky and exciting material—as a theatre-lover in LA, I’m excited to see what they come up with next!