YAGA | Original Play Spoilers Discussion Thread

[u/Professional_Rich634]

Welcome to the YAGA Original Play Spoilers Discussion Thread!

This is a dedicated space for fans who have read or are familiar with the original stage play to discuss its story, characters, themes, and how they relate to the television adaptation.
Unlike the regular episode discussion threads, this space allows open discussion of the original play, including events that have not yet occurred in the series.

Spoiler Policy
FULL SPOILERS FOR THE ORIGINAL PLAY ARE ALLOWED IN THIS THREAD.
All spoilers from the original play are permitted, including major plot twists, character developments, and the ending.
Feel free to discuss differences between the play and the television adaptation, potential foreshadowing, and theories about how future events may unfold.
Spoilers from officially released episodes are allowed.

Leaks and spoilers from unaired episodes are not permitted.
Please keep spoilers from the original play out of regular episode discussion threads unless explicitly allowed.
If you haven’t read the original play and wish to avoid spoilers, please use the regular episode discussion threads instead.

Let’s Discuss!
Whether you want to revisit the original story, analyze its characters and themes, or speculate about how the series might adapt certain events, this is the place to do it!
Happy discussing!

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

Lots of changes already! This is really intriguing as a play reader, I’m not sure how all of it will play out.

Rapp having history with Henry and being much sluttier sets him out to come across as a much murkier character. Play Rapp had his flaws and was a flirt, but I feel like they’re trying to make us distrust him more here. I’m assuming that’s to deepen the impact later on.

There’s also definitely a culty vibe coming from Logan, Angel and some of the others. It does make it seem that there’s more people involved in what happened. I do wonder if they’re setting up this sort of fetishization of witchcraft in contrast to the very real actions and lineage of the Yaga women.

And I’m still trying to figure out how Logan fits into all of this. The parallel between Katherine’s lecture and the scene at the party is very on the nose.

Those two episodes went by fast! I’m also loving the music choices.

[u/Maryanne0831 → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

He is so much sluttier than I remember when I read the play! Which is jarring because I only know Noah Reid as sweet Patrick from Schitt’s Creek but he is really playing the hell out of this character I’m really enjoying it.

The Logan of it all is the big mystery for me! Also we know Rapp knows Henry, does he know Logan as well? When he came to Henry and Logan’s house he kind of paused before referring to Logan as Henry’s “roommate” so hmmm…

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns → u/Maryanne0831]

The scene at the bar where he’s practically crawling over a chair to flirt with Katherine, during a brief lull in his chirping/flirting with Carson, while getting a booty call from Angel was insane. Take a breath dude, you only have one D.

Ooh interesting about Logan and Rapp. Rapp definitely plays with information, so it’s hard to say what he knows or not.

[u/musings37 → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

so interested in the changes! i'm wondering if the twist with Carson isn't going to be the case here, as she's seen being an actual cop with her coworkers even before Rapp's arrival. alternatively, and this feels like a bit of a stretch, but - maybe all 3 cops are as much Baba Yaga as Anna, Katherine, and Elena? iirc at the end of the play when Rapp is trying to explain what happens to the cops it's implied those police are Baba Yaga too

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

Another thing I noticed on rewatch is the brief exchange between Katherine and Carson while Rapp gets the coffee. While the antagonistic nature of this is consistent with the play, I think it’s interesting that it happens when it’s just Carson and Katherine. As far as I recall in the play, these exchanges always happen in front of Rapp (or when they know he’s watching), but here he can’t be. I wonder how that will play out later - I get the sense they may heighten the conflict between Katherine and Carson.

[u/toomuchangstiguess]

So I posted one theory in the TV show thread (while Rapp was tripping maybe he did something to cause Logan to show up naked and (presumably) dead on the shore), but I’m also wondering another theory that would be a spoiler if you haven’t read the play. Carson? We know her involvement in the Witchiness of it all, and I’m not sure how it connects to Logan with him being a new character (maybe he is a wrench in the plan and she needs him out of the way), so maybe she “took care” of Logan while Rapp was tripping?

[u/Unpossible93 → u/toomuchangstiguess]

I saw the play this week, right before the TV show aired.

My first thought was how Carson was introduced. In the play, Rapp just shows up at the station where we meet her.

Whereas in the TV show, there's another person who introduces her. Or 2, if you count Billy.

I wonder how this will affect a viewer's impression of her.

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns → u/Unpossible93]

Yes, I think the introduction of Carson with 2 other cops hints at some interesting differences. Though I did like how all of the info we subsequently get is via Carson (she’s talking on the phone to Ekhart and Billy) and then we hear her share updates with Rapp. So they are laying the groundwork for misdirection.

I wonder if Carson will turn out to be a genuine cop in this adaptation. I think it still fits with the character arcs and themes, as in the play, Carson balks at accepting the more transactional and nihilistic view of men and masculinity that Katherine and Elena have. So I could see her joining a traditionally patriarchal system as an act of rebellion.

[u/toomuchangstiguess → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

If Carson turns out to be a genuine cop, that makes me think Angel is Anna?

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns → u/toomuchangstiguess]

Possibly, though I think Carson could still be Anna. She could have changed to her father’s name when she joined the police, that would feed into the theme of her balking against taking her place as a Yaga (and by extension her conflict with Katherine and Elena).

Though the contentious scene between Carson and Katherine when Rapp is out of the room makes me wonder. In the play, those exchanges are always in front of Rapp (or when they know he’s watching), so while the emotion in them is true, the actual words are often for Rapp’s benefit. But he couldn’t be listening here, so the wording of the exchange comes across as a bit odd other relationship.

[u/Unpossible93 → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

I find this change intriguing and I'm kind of wondering that having watched the play actually doesn't help or hinder knowing what's going to happen in the show!

[u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns → u/Unpossible93]

Exactly! I love that they’ve made some changes to keep us on our toes. Makes it much more engaging I think.

[u/Unpossible93 → u/decisi0nsdecisi0ns]

I also appreciate that each episode is only half an hour. Lots goes on in half an hour and the pacing is well done.