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Puppets Silently Don't Say Much
by Jesse Scaccia
Savage Nursery reviewed April 1, 2004
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Savage Nursery, the new production by Erin Orr being presented at the HERE Arts Center, ambitiously contemplates the themes of loneliness and self-identity through the medium of puppetry. The play ends up being more of an invitation to metacognition, as the voiceless, expressionless puppets never produce a coherent statement on these themes. The show does not tell a story. Though somewhat daring, Savage Nursery fails to entertain with its series of images.
Two androgynous, naked, and beautifully crafted puppets are the stars of the production. That is about all that can be known for sure in this play. The hour long show lacks a dramatic arc, but what it does have is a series of obtuse, surrealist symbolism and metaphors which are hard to piece together. There is a floating heart and a bug-ridden heart encased in a tree. The puppets seem to fall, they seem to ascend as if momentarily weightless, and they also seem to fly. There are vicious birds, one of which has the face of a human. These images are dumped into a metaphor stew whose taste is nebulous.
The most compelling part of the play is the music, composed and performed by Sxip Shirley and Rima Fand. They use an amazing array of instruments and sound effects throughout the performance, including a jaw harp, reverse music boxes, and even a marble in a glass bowl. If viewed as an experiment in avant-garde musical performance, this play is certainly a smashing success.
In the end, the most lingering effect of this play is wondering whys and whats. Why was this story told through the medium of puppets? What was the story? And in a play so deeply steeped in metaphor and symbolism, what do the puppeteers represent? Are they part of the story (sort of God characters?) or are they meant to be ignored? In puppet shows the puppeteers typically serve as baseball umpires: the better job they do, the less one notices them. But with Savage Garden, the audience is forced to focus attention on the puppeteers, because of the lack of dialogue, the way the puppeteers dominate the stage (both in size and presence), and the puppets' expressionless faces.
Still, the work in this play should be commended. Everything about the production is ambitious, and, judging by the audiences' reaction on opening night, the show was time well spent. The musical score certainly entertained the ears, even while the piece confounded the mind.
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HERE Dorothy B. Williams Theater
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Category: Puppet Theater
Written by: Erin Orr
Directed by: Erin Orr
Produced by: HERE/Savage Nursery
Opened: April 1, 2004
Closed: April 6, 2004
Running Time: One Hour
Theater: HERE Dorothy B. Williams Theater
Address: 145 6th Ave (soho)
New York, NY 10013
Yahoo! Maps Directions
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Tickets: $15.00
$10 for HERE members
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Cast
Matthew Acheson
Kate Brehm
Chris Green
Deana Headley
Lake Simons
Eric Wright
Crew
Directed by: Erin K Orr
Written by: Erin K Orr
Light Designer: Andrew Hill
Original Music By: Sxip Shirley and Rima Fand
Production Stage Manager: Brenna St. George Jones
Puppet Builders: Silvi Wool, Eric Wright, John Dyer, Hal Eager
Puppeteer Costumes: Courtney Whipple
Director, Dream Music: Basil Twist
Producer, Dream Music: Barbara Busackino
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