The Nether, Center Theatre Group

Photo by Craig Schwartz.

The Nether by Jennifer Haley.

Pauline Adamek – ArtsBeatLA

A creepy, futuristic mystery drama, Jennifer Haley’s The Nether starts off in a grey interrogation room starkly lit by neon lighting, but soon gets very complicated indeed. It transpires that a man named Sims (Robert Joy) is being held for questioning regarding a virtual crime. That is to say, crimes that were perpetrated in a virtual realm of his creation. Is he being held for the crimes or for clandestinely creating a lucrative offshore business? His highly interactive digital site, called “The Hideaway,” is a secret and encrypted realm; a popular retreat where paying users can indulge their fantasies of sex and violence with minors while preserving their anonymity. Everything from sounds, smells and touch have been lovingly (and creepily) recreated.   Read more…