[NEohioPAL] Berko review; THE EXCAVATION @ Theatre Ninjas

[Roy Berko]

You’ve Got to See It To Believe It:  THE EXCAVATION at Theater Ninjas’ 

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM—

Anyone who has ever been to a Theatre Ninja’s production knows that Jeremy Paul, 
the theatre’s guiding force and Artistic Director, doesn’t like “normal” 
theatre.  He doesn’t pick plays or develop the ordinary.   Being inside Paul’s 
head must be like being in a labyrinth of a fun house.  Weird visions must swirl 
around and around.  The results of Paul’s creativity are usually fascinating and 
confounding theatre.  THE EXCAVATION, Ninja’s latest invention, is no exception.

Now consider this.  Theatre Ninjas “home” is part of a floor of rooms in an old 
abandoned industrial building.  The building has been transformed into a home 
for the arts.  The area that the Ninjas use is basically a wreck.  So, if you 
are Paul, what do you do?  You, of course, excavate the space to see what’s 
there.  What’s there, in Paul’s mind, is Pompeii.  I kid you not.

The Roman city of Pompeii was completely buried during the eruption of the 
volcano Mount Vesuvius over a span of two days in 79 AD. The city disappeared in 
about 6 yards of ash.  It remained hidden until about 1600 when excavations gave 
the modern world insight into life at the height of the Roman Empire.

Paul, clipboard in hand, and a group of “guides” take the audience, who are 
divided into self-formed groups, each going through different experiences,  to 
celebrate the life, death and re-discovery of Pompeii.  The “guides” are 
rhetoricians, scientists, puppeteers, dead bodies and science fair addicts, who 
lead us from room to room in a labyrinth of exhibits and galleries dedicated to 
the doomed city.  As Paul explains, “blending live action, music and visual art, 
this interactive museum examines the way people reveal themselves when digging 
into the past.”  (Okay, if  he says so.)

The format takes us back to the happenings of the 1960s, blended with fantasy 
flicks, as they intersect with the Discovery and History channels.

At times the production is not an easy sit.  Well, most of the time the audience 
is not sitting, but following the performers from place to place, being active 
participants in a weird adventure as they traverse through the museum shop (yes, 
artifacts are sold), the Main Gallery, Via Donotorem, the Catacomb entrance, the 
Amphitheater, Shrine, Tomb, House of Mysteries and the Observatory.

I actually learned a great deal about volcanos (eg., when Mentos are mixed with 
soda, explosions occur),  the history of Pompeii (or Paul’s version of it), how 
long I can stand while shifting my weight from foot to foot, and how much fun a 
classic Punch and Judy show can be.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: It must be quite an experience to live inside the head of 
Jeremy Paul.   You can get a glimpse of by attending THE EXCAVATION.  It’s an 
evening of invention, humor, and the bizarre. 

THE EXCAVATION runs April 23 through  at 1300 West 78th Street.  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 
2011, 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 www.NeOHIOpal