Are you looking to beat the winter blues? Slip into the twisted, brilliant mind of British playwright Philip Ridley with Radiant Vermin—a devilishly delicious dark comedy -opening January 29 at Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. (Runs through February 8—grab tickets at bte.org before they’re gone!)
Ever daydream about a massive financial windfall landing in your lap?
Or how far you’d go to snag the home of your dreams?
No harm in a little fantasy… right?
Photo by: Jennifer Phares / Stay2uned
Spoiler warning: This is a full review of Radiant Vermin as performed by BTE. If you’d rather go in blind (and keep your moral compass intact), stop reading now.
For the rest of you brave souls—carry on.
When BTE announced they’d add this to the season last fall, I was over the moon. Anyone who knows me knows I live for dark humor, and Radiant Vermin delivers it in spades: morally murky, and devilishly funny.
The premise is deceptively simple.
Young, decent couple Jill (Kimie Muroya 室屋季美恵) and Ollie (Aaron White) are currently expecting their first child and are stuck in a less-than-ideal home. Then a mysterious letter arrives: an offer from a shady government program promising the house of their dreams. All they have to do is show up, meet the enigmatic Ms. Dee (Amy Rene Byrne), and agree to a few… unusual terms.
The place they tour?
Let’s just say Ollie nails it: “Chernobylchic.”
What follows is a sharp, escalating descent into temptation that will leave you, the audience, questioning your own morals. Just how far would you go to obtain your dream house?
Whichever way they choose – discretion is key.
Photo by: Jennifer Phares / Stay2uned
Last night, Stay2uned was invited to the first full dress rehearsal of Radiant Vermin, and going in, I had zero doubts this talented ensemble would knock it out of the park. Sure enough, they did—right on cue.
The way these three performers embody the soul of Philip Ridley’s twisted, brilliant play is nothing short of transcendent.
It’s practically a running joke (of necessity) that the cast juggles multiple characters, but here Aaron White and Kimie Muroya 室屋季美恵 each tackle more than two, while Amy Rene Byrne “only” handles two. Regardless, watching them shift seamlessly between personas is masterclass-level work—fluid, committed, and utterly convincing.
This production keeps things intimate and demands your imagination. Beyond a striking checkered floor, scattered paper contracts, and sharp costuming, the set is minimal—everything else lives in the theater of the mind. You’re right up on stage with the cast, so the fourth wall? Nonexistent. It creates a raw, unforgettable closeness that pulls you deep into the moral quicksand.
For me, the most unforgettable moment hit when – (spoiler warning firmly in place): that shattering instant when a “renovator” finally grasps exactly what’s being asked—and instead of pulling away, surrenders completely, sealing it with a kiss.
Even now, just typing this out, my heart feels locked in a vice grip.
That blissful yet utterly heartbreaking acceptance—brought to chilling, unforgettable life by Amy Rene Byrne as “Kay,” met with raw, stunned reactions from the brilliant Kimie Muroya 室屋季美恵 (Jill) and Aaron White (Ollie)—left me fighting back tears in the dark. Someone was absolutely chopping onions backstage.
This trio doesn’t just perform Ridley’s dark fairy tale—they make its uncomfortable truths feel painfully personal.
On a separate but equally vital note: watching the full team in action during dress rehearsal was truly a memorable privilege.
To quote Harvey Fierstein, “No one does theatre alone.” And that is the absolute truth.
Photo by: Jennifer Phares / Stay2uned
In the end, run—don’t walk—to see Radiant Vermin at Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, January 29 through February 8, 2026.
It’s a very limited run, so grab your tickets now at bte.org. The show clocks in at about two hours with no intermission, and viewer discretion is advised—this is mature, dark, and unapologetically provocative material.
You probably won’t regret it.
(But seriously… just say no to the shady, possibly demonic real estate agent’s pitch.).