|
Saving the World
THEATER REVIEW “Saving The World”
by Chance January 23, 2003 As written by Jason Burkett, and directed by Joseph Horn, “Saving The World” is a wild jitterbug through a minefield of fairly hefty ideas. Think of the Marx Brothers challenging each other, in a heated discussion of Kensian economics and you will start to get the picture. At Seattle’s Saltwater Research Center, Dr. Degot (Dimas Diaz) is a boy genius who has discovered an amazing breakthrough that can revolutionized, or perhaps end, the world. Dr. Degot has figured out how to produce a large quantity of food from a single drop of salt water. With his colleagues Dr. Sharon (Marc Sanford) and Dr. Healy (Elizabeth Willaman), Dr. Degot wrestles with the advisability of proceeding. More food means more population, which needs more food, which produces even more population. And so it goes, until the cycle finally collapses in on itself. What to do? Dr. Degot enlists the common man’s perspective from the janitor, Layman (Robert Rotenberry). During the course of the frantic two act presentation, God arm wrestles with the devil, bullets get shot out of the air, Dr. Sharon takes an inflatable T-Rex to the mat, and Dr. Healy goes into labor. All this is happening while bowing to the audience, breaking the assumed illusion of reality, and replacing it with a winking inside look at stage craft. They are playing with the play, in a good natured spoof. The writer Burkett (portrayed by Gabriel Robins) bursts into the scene decrying the actors turning his philosophical drama into an absurdist comedy. The actors give back better than they have received, critiquing Burkett’s words, while the play continues — “You are not much of a writer, are you?” — then conking him on the head with a Monkey wrench. Ah, subtlety! Joined by cranky pistol packing girl genius Stacey (Alex Bueno), and a silent but charming Stagehand (Letitia Chang), the ball really gets rolling. Spiraling towards it’s inevitable conclusion — which involved Jesus playing Jeopardy to save the world — bombs were hurled, tables danced upon and a shining red dress focused every eye. Diaz was more than up to the task, both physically and verbally and was an excellent choice to lead the bedlam. And, Willaman showed a genuine innocence and enthusiasm that was hard to resist. The Chance starts each new season with an original script and pointed to past kick off hits such as “The Stroop Report,” “Unrelenting Relaxation,” and “Beethoven: Heaven’s Voice.” Drawing the comparison to “Saving the World” was unfortunate on their part, as it is nowhere near the caliber of the others’ work. It is quite enjoyable, however, and that should be enough. The actors were obviously having fun on stage and that translated favorably to the audience. “King Lear” it’s not but, then again, “Duck Soup” probably sold more tickets. That is the “Sophie’s Choice” all theaters are faced with and what keeps us coming back often wide-eyed and ever hopeful.
[top]
|