[NEohioPAL] Berko review: CHIRSOPHER COLUMBUS OR (DID YOU SAY SPHERE?) @ CESEAR'S FORUM

[Roy Berko]

‘CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ is ridiculous beyond belief!

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM--

Michel de Ghelderode, the author of ‘CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS OR (DID YOU SAY SPHERE?),’ the play now being
performed by Cesear’s Forum, was a Belgian playwright
who reached his writing peak between 1930 and 1945. 
He was quite prolific.  In fact, no one is sure
exactly how many plays he wrote.  He gained an
international reputation because of the controversial
1938 Paris production of ‘FASTES D'ENFER’ (“Chronicles
of Hell”), which explored the heights of religious
exaltation.  At the opening night it is reported that
there was a near riot in the theatre.

His plays resound with violence, demonism, holy
madness, and off-the-wall humor.  Often it seems like
the actors are ad-libbing their lines and the actions
seem spontaneous.  Most plays can be classified as
dramas or comedies or musicals.  Ghelderode’s works
defy classification.  Theatre of the absurd?  Well,
much of what goes on is absurd, but that’s not really
the definition of “absurd” as it applies to “theatre
of the absurd.”  Absurd in that form of play script
means out of sync, not ridiculous.  It explains the
works of Edward Albee and John Paul Sartre, not
Ghelderode.  

How about vaudeville? Maybe, kinda of.  As the public
relations for the play states, “a satirical
vaudevillian farce.”  I’ll buy that.  Kind of. 

Story line?  You kid!  There isn’t any storyline, per
se.  Christopher Columbus and his attempt to prove the
world was not flat.  Kind of.   We do learn that
Chris, who stumbled upon the Americas, did so
supposedly trying to escape from the “erratics” of his
age .  As Ghelderode states, “Columbus escapes...man
has always tried to escape.”  Make no sense?  Don’t
worry about it.  Don’t look for the production to make
sense.  Just go to see ‘CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS OR (DID
YOU SAY SPHERE?)’ to have a good time.  And, be sure
that you go with the attitude of having a good time. 
A Three Stooges, Monty Python, Marx Brothers good
time.

The Cesear’s Forum production, under the directorship
of Greg Cesear, pulls out all the stops.  John
Kolibab, he of Zero Mostel mobile face and body, is
hysterical as Columbus.  His lines flow as if he is
making them up on the spot.  He is often as surprised
by what he says as is the audience.

Jean Zarzour, known locally as the owner of
LIKSCHTICK, lets out all the stops as The Woman.  The
woman who, as the show biz terms states, “eats the
scenery” (destroys everything in her path) as she
dances, sings and acts like someone one-step away from
being deranged.  She is hilarious.

The rest of cast tries hard, can’t keep up with
Kolibab and Zarzour, but, again, it matters not as the
entire happenings are so outrageous, it’s hard not to
laugh at about everything that takes place.

Capsule judgement:  If you are in the right mood
(manic) and appreciate comedy (way out comedy) and the
ridiculous (really ridiculous) you’ll fall off your
chair laughing at ‘CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS  OR (DID YOU
SAY SPHERE?).’  On the other hand, if you want a plot,
and aren’t in the mood for mental chaos, you’ll not be
a happy theatre-goer.

‘CHRISOPHER COLUMBUS OR (DID YOU SAY SPHERE?) runs
through December 16 in Kenndey’s Down Under, Playhouse
Square Center. .  For tickets call 216-241-6000.



Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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