Marissa Alma Nick’s “Cask” is a visually orgasmic, exquisitely lit, yet awkwardly chaotic and exhaustive retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s macabre classic short story, “The Cask of Amontillado.” Although Nick sticks to Poe’s story of revenge, her production and script radically U-turns away from Poe’s fundamental gift as a writer—that is his ability to psychologically terrify and creep us out through the art of subtlety.

Jahzel Dotel. Photo by Neil de la Flor

Upon entering the lobby of OnStage BlackBox Theater at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, the Two Sisters, played by Jahzel Dotel and Ana Nikolic, greeted the audience. Wearing black masks and black dresses, Nikolic played the piano as Dotel forced a constant ululating caterwaul out of her mouth. This effectively established a dark, somber mood (very Poe) despite complimentary drinks being served just a few feet away (not very Poe).

At 10 p.m., the ushers slid open the stage door and hurried us on to the backstage of the auditorium. We stood shivering in the dark beneath the soaring ceiling when Monstresor, played by Aisha Sofia Duran, appeared. Illuminated by a single red spotlight, Duran uttered nonsense as her hands moved ferociously over her chest, face, and through her hair. Her dress appeared bloody in the light. The audience surrounded her. It was delightfully Carrie-esque.

Aisha Sofia Duran. Photo by Neil de la Flor

At 10:15 p.m., the Ghost of Montresor (played by Marissa Alma Nick) and the Ghost of Fortunado (played by Pioneer Winter) magically appeared in Duran’s place. Nick and Winter performed a fierce duet that mirrored the conflict between the two noblemen. Then, the main characters fled the stage leaving the audience to watch them wrestle, writhe and (oddly) laugh in the lower orchestra, the balcony and the aisles.

Cool, I thought, but…

After a few minutes, Duran invited the audience to switch places. We took a seat as the performers took the stage. Nick and Winter performed another duet. This chaos, though fun, cut the intimate connection established in the beginning. Eventually, the ushers led the audience to the orchestra pit where they lowered us down into the basement. This was a clever use of space, but the performance that ensued forced itself upon the audience. Duran repeated over and over and over again that Montresor killed Fortunado, even though we witnessed him being interred in a cask.

Marissa Alma Nick and Pioneer Winter. Photo by Neil de la Flor

Just show us, don’t tell us, I thought.

Stage manager and lighting designer Gary Lund glued “Cask” together. His attention to detail can’t be overstated. His work is luminous. However, “Cask” lost the intent of Poe’s classic story, but that’s fine. Nick created a complex and risky performance piece that is beautiful because it is imperfect. She also made me read a classic story that I hadn’t read before. All Nick has to do now is refine, edit and revisit Poe in his basement. Climb into his cask and understand what it is like to starve and dehydrate to death without hope for escape.

And execute.