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Regional Reviews: San Francisco Metamorphosis, Titus Andronicus and [title of show]
Metamorphosis is about a young, worn-out traveling salesman trying to restore the family fortunes. He wakes up one morning to discover that he has been transformed into a cockroach. The family is horrified by the transformation and it is made clear that he has become one of society's untouchables. The poor man is to be locked away, forgotten about, and ideally starved to death. The intriguing 75-minute drama is a masterful mix of horror and absurdity. The London Daily Telegraph said "it is a parable for our times." This production is visually riveting and infused with an overabundance of political implications. Mark Jackson uses an extremely physical approach to this drama, especially the athletic antics of Alexander Crowther brilliantly playing the salesman Gregor. His agility is astonishing as he leaps about, clings to the ceiling, and even scrambles down a ceiling light cord. Metamorphosis is a 1912 novella that can be pulled in all sorts of directions. The British production limited its potential by relocating the piece to the early thirties and threatening indications of the rise of Nazism. Mark Jackson sets this production in the 1950s during the McCarthy witch hunts of the era. But to me it evokes the rise of Nazism, especially with the introduction of Fischer, played fantastically by Patrick Jones. He is the epitome of a rising Nazi and his manner and bearing is perfect as a creepily fastidious German. Even his talk about "the lodge" and how to shoot straight seems to be an allegory for Nazism. I also got a Germanic feeling about the whole family, played wonderfully by Megan Trout as daughter Grete, Madeline M.D. Brown as Mother, and Allen McKelvey as Father. Nina Ball's split-level set has a brilliant dual perspective with Gregor's attic room presented in aerial view at the back of the three-sided theatre while the family scuttles about below. Costume Designer Christine Crook's outfits are overstated costumes of the 1950s. Sound designer Matthew Stines has devised interesting classic pieces interjected into the production. Overall, it's an wonderful, provocative nightmare of an evening. Metamorphosis plays through July 17 at the Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison Street, Berkeley. For tickets call 510-843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org. The company will open its 20th anniversary season with Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. Photo: David Allen
Titus Andronicus became popular during the latter part of the 20th century as it was rescued by modern history. What with the mass barbarities of the 20th century, such as the Holocaust and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, the play's slaughters, rape, mutilation, murder, cannibalism, and sons served to their mother in a pie no longer seem disconcertingly excessive. I have seen this play many times over the years, including the Trevor Nunn RSC production in 1972 starring Colin Blakey as Titus and Margaret Tyzack as Tamora, 1994's interesting Julie Taymor version at Theatre for the New City, and the 1995 RSC version that took place in South Africa and starred Anthony Sher and Dorothy Ann Gould. Titus Andronicus is set in the later days of The Roman Empire. It's the fictional story of Titus, a general in the Roman Army who is engaged in a cycle of revenge with Tamora Queen of the Goths. What happens during the two hours and 55 minutes is a series of horrible events of butchery performed in this production by a superb cast of mostly Bay Area actors, led by James Carpenter in a commanding performance as Titus. Instead of a primitive gore fest this production seemed to be a study of monumental suffering. James Carpenter gave an outstanding performance as a ruler driven by vengeance, and his slipping into madness in the second act was awesome. His mirthless speech was the signal that he had been pushed over the edge into insanity. His scene in the last act as the pie-baking hero paid off handsomely. Stacy Ross was the epitome of an evil mother portraying Tamora. She played the character's merciless edge to the fullest. It was was an enthralling performance. Anna Bullard was astounding as Titus's tortured daughter Lavinia. Ron Campbell, with a great theatrical Shakespearian voice, showed wonderfully brazen confidence as the tantrum-prone Emperor Saturninus. He reminded me of the great actor Jay Robinson who played the Roman Emperor in the film The Robe. Shawn Hamilton gave a fervid performance as the iniquitous Aaron, Tamora's chief adviser and lover. Chad Deverman and David Mendelsohn were perfectly evil as Tamora's sons. They seemed to be enjoying chopping off hands and tearing out tongues. Dan Hiatt was excellent as the sage, Marcus. Nicholas Pelczar, Delia MacDougall, Liam Vincent, Galen Murphy-Hoffman and Caleb Alexander made resilient influences in their various roles. Joel Sass' direction was striking and dramatic. He made it clear that neither Titus nor Tamora are heroes. There was plenty of blood and chopping that would make fans of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films happy. Set Designer Emily Greene fashioned a concrete-slab set that looked like the walls of a prison while Paloma H. Young's stark costumes were breathtaking. She devised a costume for Tamora in the second act's masquerade scene that looked like something out of Wagner's Die Walküre. Dave Maier's fight direction was realistic, and brava to Lynn Soffer for her vocal/text coaching. Titus Andronicus ran through June 26th at Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theatre, Orinda, California. Currently running is The Verona Project, a brand new play inspired by Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona, adapted and directed by Amanda Dehnert. For tickets call 510-548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org. Photo: Jay Yamada
TheatreWorks' recent production of Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell's offbeat [title of show], a dizzy, capricious and uproarious tongue-in-cheek musical, closed on June 26th in Mountain View. [title of show] is about two gay unemployed actors who zealously idolize the Broadway musical to the point of distraction. They decide to write a musical for the upcoming New York Musical Theatre Festival. They have a deadline of three weeks. As Hunter says, it's certainly better than watching Doc Hollywood on HBO On Demand or Internet porn. Jeff (Ian Leonard) and Hunter (Jamison Stern) enlist semi-employed actresses Susan (Laura Jordan) and Heidi (Farah Alvin) as well as a keyboardist (William Liberatore) to make their musical. They firmly believe they are writing for art and this is a springboard to fame and fortune; maybe Ellen will interview them on her television show if it is a success. The audience watches the process of writing the show and the music, as they finally get into the festival and land the musical Off-Broadway, then on Broadway. The musical is based on Bowman and Bell's real experiences through 2004 when [title of show] played the O'Neill Theatre in New York. The fast-paced musical becomes a cheeky take on creating a musical, laced with so many theatre in-jokes and personalities that the program even has a glossary. Jeff Bowen's music and lyrics are infectious and seem to be a combination of Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim styles. There is a song about "Filling Out the Form," a clever song about an "Awkward Photo Shoot," the terror of the blank page called "An Original Musical," an ode to self-doubt "Die Vampire Die!," and a lightheaded hymn to trusting your own predispositions, "Nine People's Favorite Thing." There are references to over 50 musicals in this funny show, including many flops like Brooklyn, Carrie and Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public. Scenic designer Kate Edmunds provided a large group of failed musicals that "leapt" from a theatrical trunk during a number. Director Meredith McDonough knitted together a wonderfully intermingled ensemble cast. She made the four characters very believable since they are so full of vim and vigor for their project. The comedy comes fast and sharp. She also kept the choreography fresh and witty. Farah Alvin (New York: Nine, Saturday Night Fever, Grease plus Drama Desk Nomination for The Marvelous Wonderettes) was the strongest singer in the cast, portraying Susan. She showed great vocal chops singing the pointed "Die Vampire, Die!" Laura Jordan (New York: Cry-Baby, In My Life) gave a fetching performance as Heidi. She gave a heartfelt reading of the achingly melancholy song "A Way Back to Then." She did not become over-sentimental singing this lovely song. Ian Leonard as Jeff and Jamison Stern as Hunter made a silly, snappy pair. Jeff gave a pleasing nerdy nervousness to his performance while Jamison Stern gave a sleek performance with smart one-liners about classic Broadway flops. William Liberatore gave a nice performance as the keyboardist, Larry. [title of show] closed on June 26 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Castro Street, Mountain View. TheatreWorks' next attraction will be the world premiere of the new musical Fly By Night, conceived by Kim Rosenstock and written by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick and Kim Rosenstock. It opens on July 13 at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. For tickets call 650-463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.
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