The only coherent part of 3Sisters.Cz
The full impact of what I've committed to this year is beginning to become apparent. I'm now having to plan my schedule out 2 - 3 weeks in advance. When I involve other people in my plans, it becomes even more complicated.
Beyond the logistics of this project, there is also the very real aspect of quality. 3Sisters.CZ is a perfect example of this dilemma.
Located at a space called Freehold Theatre (for some reason, the pretentiousness of the stage community demands the British spelling to indicate their level of sophistication), which is essentially a small, urban space located amid the restaurants, bars, and other assorted dives of Belltown, Seattle. For those of you not familiar with Belltown (or Seattle, for that matter), this neighborhood could best be described as Seattle's answer to Greenwich Village.
First, let's deal with the company, GESAMTKUNSTWERK!. They describe themselves as
Beyond the logistics of this project, there is also the very real aspect of quality. 3Sisters.CZ is a perfect example of this dilemma.
Located at a space called Freehold Theatre (for some reason, the pretentiousness of the stage community demands the British spelling to indicate their level of sophistication), which is essentially a small, urban space located amid the restaurants, bars, and other assorted dives of Belltown, Seattle. For those of you not familiar with Belltown (or Seattle, for that matter), this neighborhood could best be described as Seattle's answer to Greenwich Village.
First, let's deal with the company, GESAMTKUNSTWERK!. They describe themselves as
" a budding theatre company currently based in Seattle and devoted to blurring boundaries and crossing disciplines. Believing in not only the compatibility but the love affair between various artistic mediums and cultures, thatG!theatre is constantly searching for new ways to of confounding ideas and expectations by creating high-quality, provocative, and unified art."
Whatever.
Apparently, blurring boundaries and crossing disciplines means repeating the first half of Act II with the same theme in a film projected onto the faux rustic wood ceiling of the stage while the cast sits around on stage roasting what appears to be wienies and marshmallows over a small, standard def TV standing in for a campfire.
What makes this redundancy particularly awful is what is being repeated - the sisters sitting around stuffing their mouths with cake and rubbing it all over their faces.
Whatever.
When is the arts community going to understand that stupid and self-indulgent is not "shocking" or a cleverly disguised meaning. It's just stupid and self-indulgent.
There were a couple of okay performances by Margaret Bicknell as Louisa and Devin Rodger as Anna, but the shrieking of Jade Justad as youngest sister, Angela, was nothing short of obnoxious. While I understand she's supposed to be a spoiled brat, I've been around my share of spoiled brats, and they do know how to scream properly. Oh, well.
The folks involved in producing this work of crap - Dani Prados and Jade Justad - need to stay true to their stated intention ... keep searching.
Whatever.
Apparently, blurring boundaries and crossing disciplines means repeating the first half of Act II with the same theme in a film projected onto the faux rustic wood ceiling of the stage while the cast sits around on stage roasting what appears to be wienies and marshmallows over a small, standard def TV standing in for a campfire.
What makes this redundancy particularly awful is what is being repeated - the sisters sitting around stuffing their mouths with cake and rubbing it all over their faces.
Whatever.
When is the arts community going to understand that stupid and self-indulgent is not "shocking" or a cleverly disguised meaning. It's just stupid and self-indulgent.
There were a couple of okay performances by Margaret Bicknell as Louisa and Devin Rodger as Anna, but the shrieking of Jade Justad as youngest sister, Angela, was nothing short of obnoxious. While I understand she's supposed to be a spoiled brat, I've been around my share of spoiled brats, and they do know how to scream properly. Oh, well.
The folks involved in producing this work of crap - Dani Prados and Jade Justad - need to stay true to their stated intention ... keep searching.
If I propose to you, does that prove I love you?
Better, but ... After last night's production of 3Sisters.cz I was really dreading "Bullied by the Beast". Surprise. It was actually okay. Located in the same building as Freehold Theatre, it was produced by Open Circle Theatre.
I was afraid this was going to be PC swill, as it was funded by the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. It was, and it was predictable, but the first act held up pretty well. The second act needs considerable work as it is rife with cliches.
With the exception of the lead, the acting was fairly good. Unfortunately, the lead was ill, and her understudy hadn't memorized her lines, particularly in the middle, so, try as she might, she repeatedly misread the lines from the script that was laying on the table. I was under the impression an understudy is supposed to be ready to step in, but, I guess in fringe theater, you get what you can. It's a shame because, I felt she would have been very good.
Which leads to the final production - "Edmond" at the Balagan Theatre on Capitol Hill. A spartan set with a long, thin table standing in as a coffee table, bar, prison bunk, Three Card Monty table, etc. The acting was crisp with Carolyn Marie Monroe standing out as a doomed bartender (?), Glenna, who has the unfortunate circumstance of being picked up by Edmond before succumbing to the knife he's been wielding since going off the deep end.
Creepy, yes.
The Balagan is a nice urban space with the requisite brick walls and an industrial feel to it, and a nice lounge to hang out in before shows. The theater carried the neo-industrial theme through, with lighting-on-a-wire-from-Ho
Unlike the debacle at Freehold on Saturday night, this production actually integrated multimedia elements successfully, enhancing the production, rather than being used as an alternative to creative thought and hard work. The beauty of this, though, is that my commitment for 2010 ensures Freehold gets at least one more chance.
I've got one more play on Monday night before taking a couple of days off. This one actually has good critical reviews going for it, which is a first since Xanadu, oh so long ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment