Review: Fighting the Fascists, On Film

By Ed Malin

Duncan Pflaster’s A Touch of Cinema is part of Spotlight On: Rise of the Phoenix at The Wild Project.  Aliza Shane directs this story of resistance, set in a land far away but only too close.
 At first, it looks like actress Dina Kummerspeck (Diánna Martin) and her painter husband Tomas (Lars Engstrom) are preparing for just another charming dinner party for their in-group of movie stars.  However, when Dina retorts that it’s not just a party, we should believe her.  Dina’s arriving friends lament that it’s been too long, and note her electronic ankle shackle.  Dina is under house arrest; after being persecuted over her perceived seditious film “Canine Teeth”, she has undergone “re-education” and is prevented from appearing in public.  Regina Fontaine (Kristin Vaughan) is many shades of elegant, with the kind of class that has been phased out by the hated new regime of President [unmentionable]. Martin Dure (Russell Jordan) has a flamboyant way of suggesting that they liven up Dina’s shackle with some rhinestones.  Graeme Tupper (Michael Andrew Daly), their co-star, sympathizes with Tomas over the loss of his famous mural, which is about to be painted over by a state-sanctioned artist. Tomas, who had not been told of this, is also sad to hear that Martin has been blacklisted.   Mind you, even in a room full of thespians, Graeme’s pal Sally Haze (Lucy Spain) stands out.  The young ingénue always seems to be trying very hard to please.

photo by Duncan Pflaster Photography and Graphic Design

 The current regime is very hostile to the arts.  We hear the story of the career that  was ruined when the censors asserted that a cello sonata was too similar to the national anthem of another, non-fascist country.  So, even though Dina is banned from performing, she respectfully asks her assembled colleagues and friends for an impromptu read-through of the new screenplay she has written.  Someone in the room immediately urges the group not to do anything that would be misconstrued as treason. Others are too intrigued not to read it, while the rest need to be reminded of ground-breaking films of the resistance, such as Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” and the French actress Arletty’s risk-taking performance in “Les Enfants du Paradis” during the Nazi occupation.  Martin has a way of flirting with the affable Graeme—who appreciates Martin’s “masculine vulnerability”—and the two finally share a stage kiss.  In the end, Dina has in fact made another movie. The reading has been filmed and will be taken out of the country by several people in that very room who will be starting a new life as refugees in a land that supposedly welcomes them: the United States of America.   Who is afraid of starting over?  Who among them is a collaborator?  Who has yet to come out to their mother…at that age?
A Touch of Cinema is a stirring reminder of the power of the arts during repressive regimes.  Where the story takes place is anyone’s guess, but it doesn’t matter.  Since World War II, many countries have forgotten the lessons of history.  The characters in this play say that America is/will be the place that, just like in the movies, fights evil and offers freedom to all.  Duncan Pflaster gives his characters many witty finishing touches, from the classy (lipstick color “cherries in snow”) to the campy (“Trying to be unobtrusive?  With those shoulders”).  If you like “Casablanca” and the other fascist-busting films of the 40s, you will find this play moving.  If you are not familiar with the 20th Century, work like this and the others referenced herein will give you strength.  Aliza Shane stylishly directs the talented cast through many moments that will be familiar to actors and those who fraternize with them.  I could become accustomed to Tricia Bastian’s flashy costumes.

Review: A Theatrical True Detective

We all love playing detective. Solving a mystery can be fulfilling. That's why television and film is filled with cop shows. In Lizzie Vieh's Barrier Islands, when a body is discovered in the sand, a string of seven more are uncovered leading to a hunt to find the murderer.
With two actors playing three characters each, Barrier Islands is a theatrical answer to "True Detective." Which season? That’s up to you. Played in an intricate nonlinear format, the lives of six key players are intertwined in a clue-unraveling mystery. What's enthralling about Vieh's play is the character study that is unveiled. With the drama surrounding the situation, Vieh is still capable of crafting characters that don't just serve the story. Each character is flawed or damaged, some more than others, and we watch their journey with the mystery as a backdrop. Where Barrier Islands struggled was the pacing. Like "True Detective", you want the audience to be able to take in and savor the moments but if it's all played at the same tempo, the more intimate beats will lose severity. And that happened, especially in the middle portion of the piece. Regardless, the play is a writing triumph. The story is captivated and keeps you interested in the result, though it's likely you'll have an inkling of who may have done it. We watch each male and female pair with one another, offering a unique perspective in storytelling. Truths and secrets can only be revealed through certain pairings so discovering the facts meant keeping a keen eye in the pairs. That is if you could keep all the characters straight.

Two actor plays may be perceived as easy but Barrier Islands is anything but. This is not an easy play. Director Zi Alikhan was thrown challenge after challenge. For the most part, Alikhan found solutions. The playing space at The Wild Project is normally a decent size but with Andrew Diaz's multi-location set, isolation was hard. That meant lighting designer Jessica Creager was an integral member of the team. A great deal of attention was paid when it came to lighting Barrier Islands. This design was important to storytelling. The tightness of the staging led to interesting stage pictures with cool lighting looks but nothing is sadder than shadows falling across faces and actors walking out of light. With the circumstances what they were, Creager did a fine job. With the duo switching characters from scene to scene, Alikhan needed to establish a transition vocabulary. Chalk it up to preference but highlighting costume changes feels voyeuristic. Perhaps a more stylized change would alleviate the awkwardness.
Aleisha Force and Russell Jonas established an immense amount of trust that helped to elevate the production. Had they not had a good stage relationship it might have been best to burry the play in the sand. Chemistry aside, Force and Jonas needed to create distinct characters that were different and easily recognizable. Jonas seemed to capitalize on this a bit better. Force’s trio were quite similar, with the exception of imperfect cop, her greatest deviation. Force crafted three strong, grounded women, adopting physicality as a key player in her three. Jonas, on the other hand, played more into character. While Force went for vocal gruffness, Jonas played with pitch a bit more. Jonas’ characters felt theatrical, but in this type of storytelling, it was necessary.
Barrier Islands is an incredible feat to produce. There’s nothing easy about it. Vieh’s script was strong with Alikhan’s execution almost there. In the next iteration, which is bound to happen, perhaps a little bit of reimagining will help.

Spotlight On...Lizzie Vieh

Name: Lizzie Vieh

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Education: B.A. Brown University, M.F.A. Brown/Trinity Graduate Program

Why theater?: I like story-telling, I like live performance, and I like to gather together with other people to experience art collectively.

Tell us about Barrier Islands: Barrier Islands is about a murder investigation that casts suspicion over a small island community. Two actors—one male, one female—portray three characters each. Over the course of nine scenes, each male character interacts with each female character, in a sort of twisted “La Ronde.” The play is about gender, power, violence, and fear – specifically, how these topics manifest in modern American sexual relationships between men and women.

What inspired you to write Barrier Islands?: I felt compelled to write this play because I am a high-strung, imaginative woman who lives with a lot of fear. Barrier Islands is a horror story for modern American women. Think of your deepest fears as you’re walking home alone late at night on an empty city street. That’s where the play begins – fear. Specifically, women’s fear of men. The play explores this in all of its manifestations – from the most directly physical and violent, to more subtle, psychological variations.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like dark, weird stuff that uses powerful, concise language. Bonus if it’s funny too. Playwrights that inspire me include Caryl Churchill, Tennessee Williams, Harold Pinter, Sarah Kane, Paula Vogel, Erin Courtney, Maria Irene Fornes, Lanford Wilson, and Wallace Shawn.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Caryl Churchill and/or Les Waters

What show have you recommended to your friends?: 10 out of 12 by Anne Washburn, Dear Elizabeth by Sarah Ruhl, and Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Judith Light. It would be a Lifetime film entitled “I was Born 50: The Lizzie Vieh Story.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: John by Annie Baker

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Watching terrible TV and drinking craft beer in sweatpants with my dogs.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Wealthier

What’s up next?: I have a short play in Amios’s Shotz: Unity at the Kraine Theater on Monday, December 7th. My full-length play The Loneliest Number is being developed by Amios as part of their First Draughts series in March 2016.

For more on Lizzie, visit www.LizzieVieh.com

Review: Millennial Problems

To say that nothing happened in Because Me would be a little harsh. But finding all the checkpoints of the dramatic structure within the text is quite difficult. Written and directed by Max Baker, Because Me, presented by Stable Cable Lab Co, is an examination of the life of a twenty something struggling artist.
Because Me follows Else, a white girl, as she moves into a decaying apartment building where she becomes a minority. Through a series of scenes that chronicle her nine months in the apartment, we see her and her pals interact despite feeling alone, depressed, and struggling with life. With six supporting characters that add little to a story, Because Me struggles to find itself, much like the focal character. There surely is a point to Baker's story. But it takes an architectural dig to find it. In every scene, we watch Else battle life as her companions seem to have other cares. So is the thesis that we live in a world where we can't focus on ourselves because we tend to worry about others first? Maybe. Or is it that we're all so wrapped up in ourselves that we can't see the pain in others? Perhaps. But dramatically, it was horribly uninteresting to watch. Baker's script is filled with so much lack of explanation. From Else randomly appearing wearing a neck brace to the kleptomaniac neighbor Kyle to really who these characters are. It's as if you're watching "Lost". All set up, no answers. The big question you must ask is what do all these moments have to do with the overall arc of the play and Else's character. The most climatic moment came when Else's computer is stolen. How this isn't the end of the world for Else is quite shocking. Between it first being gone, an enormous expense to be paid, and the fact that someone broke into the apartment and stole it, the way the character handled the situation was simply unbelievable. Structurally, many of the scenes felt incomplete, leaving on awkward buttons. As far as the timeline of the piece is concerned, we're told it is a span of nine months but Baker says Else is 28 early on only to have her say it's a week before she turns 30 at the end. It's a simple switch but it's these moments that prove that with Baker playing writer and director, there are immense problems.

Playing depressed and dejected is not an active action to play on stage. Alice Johnson as Else was set up to fail. Due to the nature of the character there was no way to give Else life. You could see Johnson wanting to do something but it would stray from Baker's intent and text. With nothing interesting to play, appearing committed to the story was hard. There is a character study to be explored but perhaps the stage is not the place for it. Roman is a lively, energetic character but his dialogue is so soap boxy. Thankfully, Arthur Kriklivy's high energy sold it. Sadly, spewing personal opinions seemed to be his only purpose in this piece. As self-centered sister Celia, Samantha Strelitz created a character that was beyond recognizable. Though she only seemed to care about herself in the moment, the scene between Celia and Else post potential breakup was the strongest of the entire play. There was actual substance within. Keeping with the self-centered characters Even Marie Mugar's Mimi is the millennial we all hate. She created her with great ease. She got under your skin with every ignorant comment and ability to use anyone in her path. So she was successful in that regard. Neighbor Kyle was by far the most interesting element that Baker needed to explore. Emmanuel Elpenord offered all he could to leave you wanting more. But with that crucial character moment that never gets explained, you're left wondering why he's really necessary.
It was clear that Because Me made sense to Baker and only Baker. By directing his own work, what was on the page did not translate to the stage. Baker was in desperate need of a collaborator to fix the problems. With the play exploring a nine-month time frame, scenic designer Doss Freel created an apartment in transition. Freel's mishmash of items seemed to fit Else's style though not seeming like it was actually suitable for living. Though there were discrepancies between text and design, it didn't cause much issue. The way Freel and Baker laid out the space was very much in line with the square of the stage with the sole exception of the angled table. Being the singular item that was not in grid formation threw it all off.
Because Me was problematic from start to finish. It's possible that Because Me was not ready for this level of production.

Review: About That Ending

1969.  It was a vivacious year. It was the end of an era and the start of a new decade. A time where women stood strong and a man walked on the moon. It is also sets the scene for Max Baker’s wildly captivating drama Live From the Surface of the Moon. Presented by Stable Cable Lab Co., a group of friends celebrate a series of personal and historical moments while old and new relationships are tested.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong was set to be the first man to walk on the moon, broadcasted live on national television. It was also the night that Don and Carol were to be parents. To celebrate the momentous occasions, Don and Carol celebrate with their swinging couple Wendell and June, Carol’s decrepit dad and her gal pal Holly. As Carol goes into labor, Wendell and Holly are left alone with Don in the corner, as they engage in a game of domination. What ensues months later on New Years’ Eve is the aftermath of a optimistic night for some and a night of terror for others. Max Baker's living room drama begins slowly but picks up steam. When the dramatic damage is done and intermission begins, you can’t help but wonder what happens next. How will this chance encounter alter their lives? Will a confrontation occur? Rather than handling the catalyst of excitement, Baker lightly touches on it and instead explores different themes and character arcs. As Baker does this, you can’t help but long for that big explosive moment between Wendell and Holly where Holly reveals all as the calendar switches to a new year. But just when all is to be revealed, Baker blindsides you with something unsatisfactory. You can’t help but mutter to yourself as you sit in the dark. Regardless of the ending, Baker’s script is filled with some dramaturgical questions that could use some addressing including the nature of Wendell and Carol’s relationship, Joe’s presence in the play and an overall character history of Wendell.

photo courtesy of Sara Watson

Live From the Surface of the Moon was filled with some well-rounded performances. Leading off with great strength was Brian Edleman as Wendell. Edleman had a grand task of finding redeeming qualities in the antagonist. Edelman expertly finds an attractiveness in Wendell that by the time he turns, you may have already fallen for him. As meek Holly, Lisa Anderson goes full force. Anderson easily finds the highest highs and lowest lows of Holly. The dynamic between Edleman and Anderson is vibrant. Their haunting scene to close act one was the strongest in the entire play. Ian Patrick Poake and Breanna Foister as Don and June respectively captured the essence of the time expertly.
Playwright Max Baker took on the role of director as well. While it didn’t serve the script best in aiding in the issues, Baker’s direction of the actors and the production was quite strong. Baker brought the highs and lows of the story and balanced them to give a complete theatrical arc. With a strong ensemble behind him, there was no doubt that his work would shine. From a production standpoint, Live From the Surface of the Moon was a knockout. The attention to detail in all aspects made the piece shine. The set by Doss Freel and costumes by Natalie Loveland brought the late 60s to life. Their specificity and appearance evoked the times and looked mighty fine doing it. Freel’s set was mostly practical for Baker’s staging. The only issue was the table for the board game as much of the scene forced backs to the audience. Even the prop’s by Zachary Sitrin were skillfully selected. The costumes by Loveland fit each characters’ personality well without feeling forced. The lighting by Sara Watson allowed for some stunning stage pictures, especially in the finale scene of Act I.
Live From the Surface of the Moon is one of those special pieces that, despite its flaws, is dynamic, chaotic, and invigorating. With some tweaking, this play could find a very long future.

Spotlight On...Lisa Jill Anderson

Name: Lisa Jill Anderson

Hometown: Riverside, CA

Education: BFA in Acting, Brooklyn College

Select Credits: Ken Urban's Nibbler (Stable Cable - directed by Stephen Brackett); Kristoffer Diaz's Julia & Eric  (Rattlestick Theaterjam Festival); Kim Davies' The Love of Richard Nixon; Emily Daly's Barter (Stable Cable/Redrum Theater in DC).

Why theater: Because the people are smart, crazy and fun, and they don’t judge you for having a therapist.

Who do you play in Live From the Surface of the Moon?: I play Holly Phelps, a meek and achingly single young woman who has moved from small-town Ohio to the grand old city of Cleveland for a fresh start. She loves Jim Morrison, admires the poet Thomas Hardy, and when she’s not working as a secretary or part-time babysitter, she enjoys doing some writing of her own. In the course of the play, she happily attends a small party to watch the U.S. moon landing on television where she hopes to make some new friends, but finds herself in a precarious situation.

Tell us about Live From the Surface of the Moon: Live From The Surface Of The Moon, written and directed by the brilliant Max Baker, takes place over the course of two epic nights in 1969 — the night Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon, and New Year’s Eve. The play is distinctly set in the late sixties, but the gender roles and dynamics between the six characters are dangerously relevant and comparable to our society today.  Expect tears, laughter and ::spoiler alert:: pee.

What is it like being a part of Live From the Surface of the Moon?: The process has been great because the ensemble has had the opportunity to develop the script and characters with Max since September, prior to our intensive rehearsal process leading up to the production at The Wild Project in April. Max guided us through some fantastic exercises (including a 60-minute improv in which he brought in some authentic 1960s board games!!!), and many of the discoveries we made in this portion of the process have influenced the characters’ voices and the shape of the play. Max brings such a generous and collaborative spirit into every rehearsal and leaves so much room for the actors to explore. Now that the script has a pretty definitive shape and we’re gearing up for the production, the work we did in the developmental portion of the process has provided us with such a strong foundation to connect with these characters and each other.

What kind of theater speaks to you?  What or who inspires you as an artist?: Anything that takes risks and bends the rules of what is conventional, safe or expected. Elevator Repair Service. All the companies dedicated to producing new work by playwrights who are breaking conventions and taking risks. Mark Jackson (the theater-maker, not the basketball player, although I’m sure he’s great too).

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Right now, I’d have to say Karla in Halley Feiffer’s A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Gynecologic Oncology Unit At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Of New York City is on the top of that list.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I’m not a huge showtunes gal but when I was eight I really liked to sing-a-long to “Easy Street” from Annie.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Mark Jackson. Sheila Callaghan.  Halley Feiffer.  There are too many more to list so I’ll stick with those three for now.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: It would be a docudrama that incorporated all of my AOL instant messenger transcripts from my teenage years called “He Dumped Me On Aim”.  My dear friend Collin McConell would play me.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Rattlestick’s production of The Aliens by Annie Baker.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Woodsman.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Hot cheetos and potty humor.

What’s up next?: A reading of Inappropriate Sexual Relations by Ken Urban.

Spotlight On...Max Baker

Name: Max Baker

Hometown: London

Education: I received grants and scholarships, so I have no student debt

Favorite Credits: I love the credits at the end of "A Clockwork Orange"

Why theater?: My father was an actor. It seems a very natural place for me to be.

Tell us about Live From the Surface of the Moon: It's set in the living room of Don and Carol's blue collar home in Cleveland in July and December of 1969.  It's about people behaving in the ways people do when the biggest event of human history is on TV
and there's meatloaf in the oven.

What inspired you to write and direct Live From the Surface of the Moon?: I'm often inspired by conspiracy theories but I cant say for certain that was the case here. Maybe. Probably.  After all, did we ever really land on the moon? When asked to work with Stable Cable Lab, I asked if I could direct because I've only worked with a handful of directors I trust and they already have jobs.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The theatre that speaks to me is one that recognizes that each night is it's own event. That the energy of production and audience is unique to each performance. Theatre where the actor is given the chance to harness the collective energy, and the audience feel the night is special. Theatre for me is about time.  Mike Leigh is a huge inspiration. But I can't discount everyone I've met and all the plays I've ever seen.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: My ego wants to work with Richard Kind, my super-ego wants to work with Julianne Moore and my id wants be in a Paul Thomas Anderson film.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I enjoyed Rasheeda Speaking at The New Group very much.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Yesterday it would have been called The Muller,  Today The Talker, tomorrow will be Wednesday.  I think Jena Malone would make a good Max Baker.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: A night of vaudeville.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Working in TV or film probably

What’s up next?: Live From the Surface of the Moon runs April 2-11 at The Wild Project

For more on Live From the Surface of the Moon, visit www.stablecablelabco.org