[NEohioPAL] Berko review: INOCULATIONS @ Theatrer Ninjas

[Roy Berko]

Theater Ninjas' INOCULATIONS challenges the senses 

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview 
Times

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM-

As I was driving home from Theatre Ninja's confounding production of 
INOCULATIONS, the Terminal Tower loomed ahead.  It was lighted in bright purple, 
the color representing Autism Awareness.  (November is Autism Awareness month). 
  My mind flashed back to the theatrical experience and its probing into random 
scientific and philosophical concepts including the way in which colors affect 
the body.  

INOCULATIONS is an evening of two one-act plays, WHO SHOT JACQUES LACAN? and 
RADIO ROOSTER SAYS THAT'S BAD.  The former runs about 15 minutes, the latter 
around 45.

As described by Jeremy Paul, Theatre Ninja's Artistic Director, “using rhythm 
and rhyme, songs and science, INOCULATIONS is a crazed meditation on unconscious 
drives, millennial paranoia, and collective psychosis.”  He adds,  “Come for the 
pumpkin pie: stay for the hallucinations.”

Those who have been to Theatre Ninja's previous productions will not be 
surprised by Paul's explanation, nor his choice of this duet of plays.  Paul, 
has a knack for picking plays which are challenging.  Challenging to the cast, 
who must find the performance devices to portray characters which are usually 
extremely non-traditional, often edging on the insane.  Also challenging to the 
audience who must figure out what is going on with these people.

INOCULATIONS is the work of Darren O'Donnell, a Canadian novelist, essayist, 
performance artist, playwright, director and actor.  He states that he “engages 
the public and claims to prove the generosity, abundance and power of the social 
sphere.”  Sounds obtuse and abstract?  Yes, those words definitely explain 
INOCULATIONS.
 
WHO SHOT JACQUES LACAN? is an investigation of the theories of French 
psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan.  The play, according to the author, is written so 
that “the performers create a vortex to slowly evoke the audience's 
unconscious.”  To explain:  Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, 
proposed that there was a division between the unconscious (id) and the 
consciousness (ego).  Therefore each human self is divided between his conscious 
and unconsciousness.  Freud thought that human actions are shaped by the 
unconscious.  Lacan developed his own version of psychoanalysis by 
reinterpreting the theories of Freud with an emphasis on the humanist 
philosophy, indicating that people made conscious choices and not all of a 
person's actions were below his/her level of awareness.  Lacan's concepts are 
the basis for WHO SHOT JACQUES LACAN?.  

The play, in an abstract way asks such questions as, “Why do we do the things we 
do?” “Do we chose to act as we do, or are hidden drives causing us to perform in 
certain ways?” and “Are we responsible for our actions?”

RADIO ROOSER SAYS THAT'S BAD exposes us to the thinking (ranting) of Dr. Radio 
Rooster, a so called “member of the scientific community” who proposes results 
of real and fictional research on such subjects as the effect on the human body 
of exposure to different colors of light and how people are manipulated by 
music.  He expresses righteous indignation regarding theories of science, 
philosophy and psychology while hanging from a swing, turning various color 
light bulbs on and off, and speaking through the mouths of a dog (“a very, very 
good dog”) and a mouse (who prefers cheese to peanut butter).  This is a 
character brimming with paranoia and neuroticism. 
The Theatre Ninja production, as is the case with Paul's work, is well 
conceived.  
The actors are centered on their purposes, stay in character, and create the 
proper intensity.  LACAN features Ray Caspio, Val Kozlenko, Ryan Lucas, Amy 
Pawlukiewicz, Michael Prosen, Nick Riley and Darius Stubbs.  

RADIO ROOSTER is basically a very long monologue by the talented Nick Koesters.  
This is a herculean role.  Not only were there 45 minutes of lines to memorize, 
but the timing needed for being exactly in the right place for all the special 
lighting effects, is daunting.  Koesters, the first member of Actors Equity to 
appear in a Ninjas production, is marvelous.  He is aided by a creatively 
designed light plan by Paul and technically produced by stage manager Dan 
Kilbane.

Oh, the pumpkin pie reference in the play's description.  Come early and have 
free pumpkin pie to get you in the mood for the production.  Following the 
obtuse concept of the production, the pie is free, canned whipped cream is a 
dollar.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  INOCULATIONS is a confounding yet fascinating evening of 
theatre.  The production is well conceived and performed.  Besides understanding 
the play, is the additional task of finding the arts building/factory, where the 
show is being performed.

INOCULATIONS runs through NOVEMBER 20 at 1300 West 78th Street, which is a large 
warehouse type building which is now an arts center.  When you get to the 
address turn into the vast fenced parking lot, go around the first building and 
find the sign designating that the Ninjas are performing there.  Follow the 
colored strings to the theatre.  (I kid you not!)  The building is basically 
behind Don's Lighthouse Restaurant, off the Shoreway).  For tickets call 
216-539-0662 or go to www.theaterninjas.com

 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 
2010, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at 
http://royberko.info
His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to 
subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)