In The Performance Review by Adrian M. Mompoint, readers meet Francis, who has a passion for the theater. The touring company performed all around the world, and he thought he had a life…until the migraines started. They became so bad that he was forced to quit acting. With funds running out, he took any odd job to stay afloat. One day, his agent called, saying The Company was hiring actors. He showed up at their building, and the receptionist directed him to the eighth floor. Upstairs, he found the floor occupied with cubicles and people typing diligently at their desks. They were all dressed in the same gray clothing, had mechanical smiles, and behaved like robots. At lunch, he noted that everybody seemed to be eating the same food and moved as though synchronized. Then he met Fiona, a real person who dressed in vibrant clothing and had a personality. Then she changed, and his migraines returned.

The Performance Review is a short story, but Adrian M. Mompoint manages with deft skill to weave an intriguing tale. It slowly but inexorably pulls readers into the narrative, keen to find out what The Company was, rooting for Francis and his struggle to remain sane in a dull, daily routine that was slowly driving him crazy. There isn’t any overt action or drama, just a mystery as the narrative slowly encircles the reader. When Fiona disappears, then shows up in the same drab, gray clothing, with a mechanical smile, her character gone, Francis thought he had lost it. Readers will find this story diverting, intriguing, and likely to enjoy the ending that shatters what Francis thought was a dark conspiracy.

Adrian M. Mompoint’s The Performance Review follows Francis, a passionate theater actor. Sadly, his passion turns against him as he starts getting terrible migraines from worrying and rehearsing too hard, sacrificing sleep and general well-being. Eventually, he has no choice but to retire from the spotlight. With few skills besides acting, he hops from odd job to odd job to make ends meet until he gets an offer from “The Company.” As if the name wasn’t strange enough, The Company’s office is empty, dim, bland, and colorless, with few windows. The workers seem robotic, all sporting similar smiles and gray outfits. The work is nonsensical and monotonous. Francis tries to navigate this new reality that alternates between boring and unsettling.

The Performance Review is a masterclass in surreal storytelling. You can read it in one sitting, but it’s well worth your time if you’re into eerie psychological tales. Adrian M. Mompoint does a great job of hooking you from the first line and never letting go, slowly increasing the suspense through creepy scenes and small hints until the jaw-dropping finale. The story technically wraps everything up in a satisfying way, building on the hints you get throughout the chapters, but it still leaves room for mystery and interpretation, which speaks volumes about the writing quality. It’s not an ending that comes out of nowhere or doesn’t fit the themes and characters (unlike some plots that sacrifice logic and consistency for the sake of a twist). But that doesn’t stop the ending from being a mind-bending experience that leaves you in an ambivalent, contemplative mood.