In a city filled to the brim with cultural foods and streets dedicated to specific heritages, New York City has very little of Iceland. This is not exactly a country known for its food or entertainment. Mostly, it just connotes cold. Right now at the Walkerspace, Iceland is given a chance to define itself in a city flooded with more domineering nations.

Walkerspace’s stage is currently home to Out of Iceland, a play billed as “A Comedy with Heart.” Directed by Josh Hecht, it features three actors and a small stage. Set in what the characters keep referring to as “the middle” of Iceland, one immediately gets the sense that there is little to do or drive a person to this location of Iceland. So why set a play here?

Askja, or “the middle,” is a volcano in the middle of the country of Iceland. Viewers meet the character Caroline and Hal at the same time, discovering that Caroline fell down the volcano and Hal rescued her. Since Caroline suffered a head injury and is a traveler in this area of Iceland, she is left with Hal as her only contact. As for Hal, he is the caretaker of Askja and seems to know no one in the area.

Through the play the two characters get to know each other, fall for each other, fell betrayed by the other, tell their darkest secrets, and decide to be with each other. From the outside it looks like a traditional romantic comedy. While it does follow this typical arc, each character’s back story is dark. Both experienced the loss of some important but with the blame of the loss falling on their shoulders. Since these great losses, neither has grown close to another or even expressed these secrets.

The revelation of these dark secrets takes the viewer by surprise and feels almost out-of-place or even uncalled for. At the same time, though, Iceland is out of place in a metropolis and not exactly the first choice for a play’s location. Adding to this feeling is the third character, Thor. Thor is a troll who first appears in a TV commercial welcoming Caroline to Iceland. She reappears throughout the play wreaking havoc.

When first viewing the play, none of it seems to fit together or make sense. The dialogue does not have too much depth to it, and the set is simple. Leaving the theater, one feels a little confused as to what just happened. Thinking back on it, though, Out of Iceland is filled with Icelandic history. The myth of trolls making trouble and stealing someone’s belongings. The story of two travelers getting lost and dying on their journey to Askja. Askja and “the middle” itself. These are not known locations or fairy tales for those who grew up in the United States.

Through the choice of location and Thor, Out of Iceland becomes a quirky interpretation of a modern romantic comedy. It introduces viewers to a new country and history, showing that everyone and every place has dark secrets from the past and myths contorting the past.

Out of Iceland is playing at the Walkerspace through April 22. Tickets are $35 and $20 for students.