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"What is there left for us that have seen the newly discovered
stability of things changed from enthusiasm to weariness but to rediscover
an art of the theatre, which shall be joyful, fantastic, extravagant,
whimsical, beautiful, resonant, and altogether RECKLESS?"
-- William Butler Yeats
1901 |
Balloon animals, a peanut vendor, puppeteers, a hand-walker and even a man in a monkey suit -- this is certainly not your father's HAIRY APE. Playing as part of this year's Buffalo Infringement Festival, and one of 26 theatrical productions to take shape within this 11-day event, it shrewdly embodies the fest's intentions: jagged, scrappy, playful and unpredictable. The play, which opened Friday night, is not as well known as other O'Neill works (A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT), likely because of its chilly critique of the upper classes and an unconventional structure that begs for unusual treatment. Told in eight succinct scenes in guttural, intense language, the play follows the Neanderthal-like Yank (commandingly played by Patrick Cameron, who often literally throws himself into the proceedings), a brutish steelworker prone to drinking bouts and self-doubt. He wanders the earth trying to find where he fits into a capitalist society that doesn't value him. He is called a "filthy beast" by a rich society gal (Candice Kogut), which enrages him, and his poorly laid plans to infiltrate rich society go bust when he is arrested and eventually banished from joining an industrial union. This leaves him to seek solace in the arms of an ape at the zoo in the play's chilling final scene. THE HAIRY APE easily lends itself to reinterpretation -- New York's Wooster Group created a multimedia version of the tale in 1996 with Willem Dafoe as Yank -- and Subversive's idea to create a circus as a framework is a fairly inspired one. Not unlike how CABARET uses its Emcee as a shifty narrator amid an ever-changing society, this production has a Ringmaster (Brian Zybala), who comments on the action and even takes part in it, uses painted scrims, designed by Hank Schmidt, as scene locales and humorously employs puppets as minor characters. Director Kurt Schneiderman's vision is nearly surround-sound, with a live two-man band that creates a score and concocts sound effects, while his game cast give their physical all. One extremely clever scene, for instance, has two men pantomime a deck chair as a prop. The creators could have benefited from a larger playing area, as the cast are too constricted in the muggy Manny Fried Playhouse. But the coziness of the space has its benefits to the story, for instance, highlighting Yank's increasing feeling that the world could be closing in on him. All in all, the production's conceit ultimately pays off and is acted with conviction by its 11-member cast, which includes local fave Betsy Bittar as a haughty socialite. And best of all, it's everyone's favorite four-letter word that begins with "F": free! Donations are suggested, however, if you're in the generous mood. www.subversivetheatre.org.
| Drama presented through Aug. 9 by Subversive Theatre Collective in the Manny Fried Playhouse, 255 Great Arrow Ave. For more information, call 408-0499 or visit www.subversivetheatre.org. |
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Copyright (c) 2002-9, Subversive Theatre Collective. All rights reserved. |
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