The titular
Octagon in Kristiana Rae Colón's play is the venue for a US
national poetry slam competition; but it's also the shape of the relationship
between the eight characters, which makes a love triangle seem positively
straightforward. A former poet herself, Pen (Estella Daniels) runs a bar that holds
regular slam nights, where the crew who've qualified for the Octagon are local
celebrities. Chimney (Solomon Israel) is the captain, although nobody seems to have
told the others that; Chad (Harry Jardine) is a teacher by day, whose religious
beliefs come with a judgmental side; and Palace (Asan N'Jie) is currently in the
doghouse after sleeping with the fourth member's girlfriend, prompting him to quit.
Not wanting to go to the nationals as a trio, they hold an open-mike slam at Pen's
club; the winner gets to become the new fourth member.
