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[Apr. 8th, 2008|03:31 pm] |
"A Soft Kiss While Visiting Samuel" Review
The Register-Guard
Published: April 7, 2008 12:00AM
Samuel Beckett spoof-homage a success
By Dorothy Velasco
Johnny Ormsbee is devoted to the study of Samuel Beckett. A worthy endeavor, or not, Beckett might say.
Ormsbee has written and directed a new play, "A Soft Kiss While Visiting Samuel," that serves as an homage to Beckett, as well as a loving spoof of his works. The spoofiness is what Beckett probably would appreciate.
Now playing at Lane Community College’s Blue Door Theatre, the absurd comedy focuses on a character named Samuel, a young man trapped in a bog, figuratively at least. He wears the clothes of a tramp and he has a shock of hair sticking up like Beckett’s.
He is accompanied by a female tramp, Lucy, and a ghoulish Corpse that periodically becomes reanimated. This zombie creature, with nail holes in his hands and feet, mostly gets in the way of the other characters and does them no good.
Sometimes Samuel trades Lucy for other women. Sometimes he is visited by a bizarre mountebank named Dagot, who pulls Dirty Dagot, his shadow or alterego, on a rope.
In the background is a group of people with eggheads. They buzz around like insects from outer space, and whenever one of them removes his egghead, a human character emerges.
The eggheads position themselves behind three doors, and Samuel can invite new characters in, one at a time. When they are sent back we always hear a horrific scream.
Be prepared for a lot of screaming.
I won’t attempt to tell you what any of this means, nor does the author presume to. It’s up to audience members to form their own hypotheses. In my interpretation, young Samuel already has realized the absurdity of life, and the eggheads are embryonic ideas for the characters he will create.
What I can tell you without doubt is that the play is constantly funny. It could certainly be shorter (90 minutes without intermission would be ideal), but it doesn’t lack cleverness.
The play offers a gargantuan role for the actor who plays Samuel, and Dylan Skye Kennedy does the best work I’ve seen from him as this monstrous yet vulnerable character. He howls, he moans; he anguishes, he exalts; he comprehends, he knows nothing.
All of the roles require physical prowess, but Kennedy, and Chip Sherman as the Corpse, must fling themselves about, topple off risers, dance while squatting, and funnel all of their emotions into bodily expressions. It’s an amazing workout, and these actors are going to need extra calories during the run of the show.
Sherman, an expert dancer, takes falls that look perilous. Kennedy, who is slender, has to drag others around the stage like rag dolls. Michelle Nordella as Lucy and Barbie Wu as Cyprian must fling themselves across the space.
Nordella’s sweet, caring Lucy really loves Samuel, but she’s dependant and clingy, so naturally he gets bored. Wu’s Cyprian is a shrewish temptress in a red dress.
Then there’s a religious fanatic played by Miriam Champer. Fickle Samuel doesn’t know what he wants.
If you like being really close to the action, sit in the front row. The actors may very likely interact with you. Samuel and the other characters say they don’t know what you are or what you’re doing there in the bog. He suggests that you might be painted figures. When Dagot asks how to make you all go away, Samuel answers that the only way is to bore you.
The play is full of theater jokes and references.
Dagot, larger than life and impressively played by Scott Shirk, says he doesn’t want to be here. Neither does Dirty Dagot (Sam Morehouse). Dagot suggests that they all go see "On the Razzle," which happens to be playing at Very Little Theatre. The opening night audience roared with laughter.
Two other eggheads in the strong cast are Sam Champer and Lilith Lincoln-Dinan. Eli Moroney created the effective lighting design. Costumes are by Paula Tendick.
Ormsbee has ushered this project through from first thought to completed production. He should be well satisfied with the results and the audience reaction.
Dorothy Velasco, a Springfield playwright, reviews theater for The Register-Guard.
Copyright © 2007 — The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA |
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