Through Sat 3/5
Well, there is no doubt that this is one hell of a ride. I had no idea what to expect during this thee-act play, but what I found was a fantastic group of actors who virtually run a marathon. Think of a trimmed Nicholas Nickleby in one night, shot in the ass with a nuclear ray gun.
As I took in the evening, I felt like the birth of this piece must have come from a threesome that included Caryl Churchill, Matt Groening and Gilbert and Sullivan. (I say threesome because I think Gilbert and Sullivan took turns tapping in and out of the madness). However, this creation comes from the colorful mind of playwright Anne Washburn.
Throughout the world’s history, many cultures pass down the stories of their ancestors to keep the heart and soul of their past alive. This is the premise of the show, with some wild augmentation from act to act. Shortly after an unspecified apocalyptic event, a group of survivors gathers together and begins to attempt to recount the episode “Cape Feare” of the television show The Simpsons.
The dialogue is fierce and fast, and at times written so you would think someone went up on their lines, but they didn’t. These actors do an extraordinary job of interacting with each other and setting the scene for a situation that many of us fear: a nuclear explosion or the meltdown of a nuclear plant, and what the aftermath would be like. Just look at recent events in Japan; this is a very real threat. It is interesting to hear each individual recount “Cape Feare” as a mechanism to survive and keep sane and distracted from what has just happened.
The second act picks up with the same group seven years later, who have now formed a theatrical troupe that specializes in performing Simpsons episodes, commercials and all. This act includes a fierce and ridiculously fun medley of dance and song. This troupe and several other groups are competing to get fresh material to keep an edge in the entertainment market. Watching them rehearse and then performing with unbridled enthusiasm is a fabulous hot mess. Comedic chops are on full display.
The final act is set an additional 75 years in the future. The same episode of The Simpsons, now a familiar mythos, has been reworked into a musical pageant, with the story, characters and morals repurposed to fit the artistic and dramatic needs of a culture still reeling from the destruction of civilization and near-extinction of humanity decades earlier.
This is where my respect for these performers went off the charts. This is a difficult piece to perform. Director Matthew Wright must be on a sabbatical after delivering this unique and fascinating production. He did a tremendous job of pulling life from this script and building this unique creation. This is a full-fledged fluorescent opera of “Cape Feare,” so bizarre you can’t turn away, vocally stunning and performed in controlled chaos and with tongue-in-cheek sharpness. At the conclusion of Act Three, you must be dead if you don’t feel honored to watch this fearless group go balls to the wall.
There are many standouts. I love listening to Nicole Sumlin, a nuclear explosion of vocal power and soul. Evan Thompson kills it as Mr. Burns. I could write about everyone. Trey Gilpin, Cathleen O’Malley, Beth Wood, Tim Keo, Abigail Anika Svigelj, and Megan Elk are the hardest working actors in Cleveland right now. Each brings a unique gift to this production.
This is a unique ride. Obviously, knowing The Simpsons might make it more relatable. However, it doesn’t take a lot to figure out what is happening. So, kick back and see something you often don’t get to see in Cleveland. This regional premiere is well worth the trip to Cleveland Public Theatre.
cptonline.org/mr-burns-a-post-electric-play/
[Written by Kevin Kelly] [Photos by Steven Wagner]Cleveland, OH 44102