Reals at H Street Playhouse

By Punch Pulse Correspondent Lindsey Clark

“Okay, listen up. We need to get something straight before we start: you do not know the first thing about superheroes. You might think you do, but you don’t. And until you realize that, you will never become one.”

Let’s be honest – we’ve  all daydreamed about having superhero powers (and the cool costumes, extraordinary crime fighting gadgets, and witty sidekicks that come along with that) to take down the bad guys.  But what if we already posses all the power it takes to make a difference?  A new play at H Street Playhouse by Theater Alliance, Reals, looks at the idea of taking the “super” out of the hero equation, and follows a group of ordinary people (“reals”) on a mission to prove that it doesn’t take x-ray vision or the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound to bring criminals to justice.

The play focuses on the story of Nightlife – a “real” armed with a night stick, an origin story, and a superhero code he hopes to use to expand his group of costumed vigilantes. While he and his partner, Belt – a martial arts expert and human lie detector – do not always see eye to eye on crime fighting methods or whether or not they posses actual super powers, they team up to determine if Sensei, a “real” hopeful, has what it takes to be one of them.  The plot takes an surprising twist when Sensei challenges Nightlife’s code, and they begin to examine what it really means to do good, and who they really are behind the masks they wear.  A smart dark comedy, Reals engages the audience by asking the question whose side are you really on?

Reals plays at the H Street Playhouse through September 16th and was written by Gwydion Suilebhan and directed by Shirley Serotsky.  You can find information on performance times and tickets here.  Reals kicks off Theater Alliance’s 10th season, which will culminate in a run of Wonderful Life from November 29 through December 30th.