Directed by Mario Orallo-Molinaro, XXX Island is a comedic homage to reality TV that produces lots of laughs at its star, Amethyst Crystal, who is played by Pearl Lam. After failing to read her contract, Amethyst finds herself on a deserted island for a survival challenge instead of a dating show. With no survival skills and utmost confidence, Amethyst stays alive by telling herself that 60 proof alcohol is 40% water and that she doesn’t need food because she doesn’t eat anyway. Jokes aside, XXX Island also features a foray into Amethyst’s psyche which is induced by bath salts but is nonetheless compelling.
The set of XXX Island is minimal but it adds to the trashy TV format that inspires ApeTV, the fictitious TV network that Amethyst is on. At one point, an ad for ApeTV plays on the projector screen advertising ApeTV thongs. Interspaced with Amethyst’s survival challenge are comical impressions of Man vs. Wild and Survivor. Although it’s hard to keep track of it all, it gives us the sense that we’re flipping through TV channels.
With just blow-up decorations and a projector screen behind her, Pearl Lam manages to hold the audience’s attention with her solo performance as Amethyst. She’s a fame-hungry influencer who follows the trends indiscriminately, from getting BBLs to Liquid I.V. Her jokes pull from all sorts of get-famous-quick maneuvers like OnlyFans, where she is known as Ame-fist-me. After all, a bad reputation is better than no reputation at all. Amethyst has the gall that separates the infamous from the unfamous. That’s why she’s the audience’s problematic fave.
All that being said, Amethyst isn’t as shallow as she seems. She speaks to the audience about her best friend from childhood, Gemma. Amethyst tells us stories about her and Gemma, who used to have a crush on Amethyst when they were kids. The stories about Gemma are nostalgic and melancholic. They are almost poetic and contrast with the comedic elements of XXX Island. Paired with Amethyst’s relationship with an unseen production assistant who flirts with Amethyst and also helps her survive, it seems like Amethyst isn’t as straight as she says she is.
Later, the unseen production assistant gives Amethyst bath salts, which causes her to go on a drug-induced tirade against Gemma. Amethyst is embarrassed and in an emotional finale begs to stay on the island. By the end, there are a lot of unanswered questions. Perhaps it says something about the manipulation of reality TV stars. Or maybe it signifies something personal to Pearl Lam, who wrote XXX Island and is a queer local actor and comedian.
XXX Island is a feat of Pearl Lam. It’s engaging, funny, relevant, and in a way, intimate and expressive.
XXX Island, 18th and Union. 1406 18th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. In-person and streaming tickets available. In-person: January 19-20th 7:30 PM. Livestream: Fri. 1/19. On-demand access thru 1/26.
Tickets: https://18u.thundertix.com/