'HANGING' BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.Byline: - Evan Henerson WHO WOULD HAVE suspected that an entire performance could be crafted out of a human being dangling from a noose for 90 minutes? The UK's weird and wonderful Improbable Theatre Improbable, often incorrectly called "Improbable Theatre", was founded by Lee Simpson, Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch and producer Nick Sweeting in the mid 1990's. Although they had all worked together for some time, they were unable to get funding unless they formed an official Company, that's who. A despondent de·spon·dent adj. Feeling or expressing despondency; dejected. de·spon  dent·ly adv. architect named Braff - the title figure of ``The Hanging Man,'' at UCLA's Freud Playhouse - is facing an existential conundrum conundrum A problem with no satisfactory solution; a dilemma . He wants to die, by rope, in the very church he has designed, but Death won't accept him because she thinks Braff is taking this entire business too lightly. ``I want you to know me,'' she informs him, leaving him there to swing, unsuffering but also undying. Which presents a problem for the rest of existence, since Death won't claim anybody else either. (``Death Takes a Sabbatical''?) This may sound a touch morbid morbid /mor·bid/ (mor´bid) 1. pertaining to, affected with, or inducing disease; diseased. 2. unhealthy or unwholesome. 3. , but it's really not. ``Our story is about death,'' the Improbables tell us in one of their signature fourth-wall- breaking audience addresses. The directing team of Phelim McDermott, Lee Simpson and Julian Crouch - none of whom perform this time - bring a winking irreverence to the tale. Moments of great visual beauty and thematic reverence are routinely undercut by Improbable tweaks: a song, a dance, a cleric melting into his cowl like the Wicked Witch of the West Wicked Witch of the West the terror of Oz. [Am. Lit.: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz] See : Evil Wicked Witch of the West uses her powers to upset the plans of Dorothy and her friends. [Am. Lit. and Cin. . Everything revolves around Braff, whose journey to understand Death leads him to a new perspective on life. Lanky lank·y adj. lank·i·er, lank·i·est Tall, thin, and ungainly. See Synonyms at lean2. lank i·ly adv. and limber Richard Katz is a kind of human puppet capable of all sorts of movements, contortions and gyrations. He's wearing a harness - unseen - and moves forward and back on some sort of electrical pulley pulley, simple machine consisting of a wheel over which a rope, belt, chain, or cable runs.
A grooved pulley wheel like that used for ropes is called a sheave. . And his deadpan, low-key ``why me'' demeanor sets the tone. Lisa Hammond is a thoughtful and patient Death who pops in and out of the action - often appearing from unlikely crevices of the stage (as Death would). Filling out the ensemble - playing townspeople, clergy, angels and family - are Nick Haverson, Ed Woodall, Rachel Spence and Catherine Marmier. In the past, Improbable has performed on an entirely bare stage, creating its scenery out of masking tape. This time around, co-designer Phil Eddols has fashioned a magnificent oaken church facade, unfinished and smattered with Escher-esque touches and backdrops that scroll up and down as the Hanging Man rises or descends. There's much to watch in the 90-minute life, death and life of Braff. Much, also, to think about. THE HANGING MAN - Four stars Where: Freud Playhouse, Magowan Hall, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX campus, Westwood. When: 8 tonight, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday (closes Saturday). Tickets: $30 to $45. (213) 825-2101. In a nutshell: A rich, Improbable musing on death and life. |
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