Written by orange• February 8, 2026• 7:04 pm• Santa Ana, The Larking House Theatre Company, Theater, Uncategorized, World Premiere

The Larking House presents: World Premiere: BUG IN MOUTH DISEASE @ Grand Central Art Center – Review

photo credit: Lizzy McCabe

Written by Zack Johnston

Bug in Mouth Disease, a new play by Fiona Gorry-Hines, premiered late January at the intimate Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana. It is presented by The Larking House Theatre company and was developed through their Playwrights’ Intensives program.

Story

A group of siblings meet for lunch to discuss staging an intervention for their struggling parents. But things take a turn when they discover that a bizarre, mysterious medical phenomenon has begun to afflict them. As they search for an explanation, their familial ties are tested like never before.

It’s a dark comedy teeming with interesting, yet dysfunctional characters looking for a way out of a unique and rather revolting situation.

Acting

Directed by Paige Taylor, the ensemble cast grounds this otherwise unlikely story through each of their fully rounded characters and a commitment to their truths.

The oldest siblings are played by Zion Aguilar (Leo), Feyara Bellefleur (Tate), Rosa Sandoval (Penelope), and Lars Toler (Jem). Each sibling couldn’t be more different from the next. Still they all four agree they suffered the worst of their parents’ destructive behaviors as kids.

The two youngest siblings are played by Mae Montgomery (Olivia) and Josh Causley (Ivan). Both are unique in their own right, and each is contemplating what their futures hold as this anomaly begins to take hold.

The actors capture the specific, nuanced ways these siblings interact through expressive, thoughtful performances across the board. Much of the story consists of moments of tender vulnerability, mixed with bursts of brutal honesty, as the siblings reconnect after a long separation.

Through detailed writing. The cast builds on their layered given circumstances, keeping a steady pace and nailing every bit of comedy throughout the show. Additional characters enter the fold to try and shed some light on what is going on.

Sophia Gonzales (Gina) displays a full range from utter shock to sheer delight in one of the show’s laugh-out-loud performances. The comedic timing and tone of her delivery is impeccable.

Jarid McCarthy (The Doctor) delivers a restrained, yet almost high-camp, portrayal of the eccentric scientists in search of answers for the family. McCarthy’s accent work and mannerisms humorously balance out the show’s darker themes of trauma.

Sound/Lighting Design

The show’s more gut-wrenching moments are even more effective and memorable thanks to subtle sound additions by Jeremy Brewer and gradual lighting changes by Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga.

The overall dramatic effect serves the story well and adds layers of tension to an already tense situation. It’s these moments of sheer disgust and humor, mixed with a story of a family’s enduring bond, that create this intriguing piece of new live theater.